Faith Hamm wins Section 8A Swimmer of the Year; Lakers Qualify For Four Events at State Swim and Dive Meet

Faith finishes first in the 200 free and 500 free to advance to state (Photo: Detroit Lakes Girls Swimming & Diving via Twitter)

WARROAD, MN (KDLM) – The Detroit Lakes Girls Swim and Dive Team finished third overall at the Section 8A Meet in Warroad on Saturday, but will be sending five Lakers down to the state tournament at the U of M to compete individually.

Faith Hamm, who was named the Section 8A Swimmer of the Year, qualified in three events at next week’s State meet: Hamm won the 500-free (5:35.11), and the 200-free (2:02.74). Hamm competed in both events at the 2021 state meet, finishing 16th in the 200-free and 22nd in the 500-free.

Hamm also qualified with the 400-yard free relay team with Marin Westrum, Emily Peterson, and Rylie Wendt with a second-place finish (3:55.89) at the Section meet. Hamm, Westrum, and Wendt qualified for last year’s state meet with Quinn Rogstad, finishing 20th overall.

400 free relay team of Hamm, Westrum, Peterson, and Wendt punched their ticket to state with a 2nd place finish! pic.twitter.com/wGatnWJHXa

— Detroit Lakes Girls Swimming & Diving (@DLGSwimDive) November 12, 2022

Hope Hamm also qualified for the State Dive meet in Park Rapids last Wednesday, finishing third overall with a score of 364.15. Hamm also qualified for state last year in the 1-meter dive.

OTHER STATE PARTICIPANTS:

The Park Rapids team won Section 8A and will compete as a team at State next week. They won the Section meet with a score of 561. Fergus Falls was runner-up second (358.5), Detroit Lakes finished third (342.5), Perham-New York Mills (284) was fourth, Fosston-Bagley-Crookston (143) was fifth and Warroad-Roseau-Greenbush-Middle River (87) was sixth.

Perman-New York Mills diver Brittney Lorentz finished in first place in the diving competition with a score of 423.15. Teammate Avery McAllister (378.40) was second. Lorentz, the 2022 Section 8A Diver of the Year, finished 10th at last year’s state meet. McAllister was 19th.

Taylor Ziemke placed second (25.70) in the 50-free to earn her second-consecutive trip to state in the event. Ziemke placed 21st in last year’s State 50-free race.

SECTION AWARDS

Swimmer of the Year: Faith Hamm, Detroit Lakes

Diver of the Year: Brittney Lorentz, Perham-New York Mills

Coach of the Year: Todd Fritz, Park Rapids

Assistant Coach of the Year: Baylee Gartner, Park Rapids

Diving Coach of the Year: Amanda Fischer, Perham-New York Mills