Bismarck Century wins NDHSAA girls swimming and diving state title
By Tom Mix
NDHSAA Media Specialist
WEST FARGO – Make it back-to-back NDHSAA girls swimming and diving team state championships for the Bismarck Century Patriots.
Bismarck Century scored 265 points to edge out runner up Minot High by 15 points in the final points standings of the 2024 NDHSAA Girls Swimming & Diving State Meet on Saturday, November 16 at the Hulbert Aquatic Center. It is the Patriots’ 13th team state title in program history.
Century’s lone first-place finish of the state meet came in the 200 Yard Freestyle Relay. The Century quartet of Sienna Mrachek, Aubrey Caster, Molly Osadchy, and Abigail Jablonsky swam to a first-place time of 1:40.47. The Patriots’ depth in all of the events came into play allowing them the repeat.
Minot High senior Haley Conklin set a new state meet record in the diving portion of the meet scoring 513.95 points. The previous state record set by Conklin at the 2023 NDHSAA State Meet was 482.35.
Fargo Shanley junior standout Arianna Hoff scored individual state championships in the 200 Yard Freestyle (1:52.89) and the 100 Yard Freestyle (52.21). She also was part of the Deacons’ state champion 200 Yard Medley Relay joining Nashatawn Tangpong, Alexa Heckaman, and Brooklyn Hanson on the awards podium. Hanson also picked up an individual state championship in the 500 Yard Freestyle (5:14.40).
Williston junior Dru Zander was a two-time individual state champion in the 50 Yard Freestyle (24.05) and 100 Yard Butterfly (56.99).
Also scoring two individual state championships was Bismarck High sophomore Madeline VerDouw who won the 200 Yard Individual Medley (2:09.64) and the 100 Yard Breaststroke (1:04.64).
A full recap of the state meet including full results and state champions is listed below:
2024 NDHSAA GIRLS SWIMMING AND DIVING RESULTS
Individual state champions:
200 Yard Medley Relay: Fargo Shanley (Nashatawn Tangpong, Alexa Heckaman, Arianna Hoff, Brooklyn Hanson), 1:48.88
200 Yard Freestyle: Arianna Hoff, Fargo Shanley, 1:52.89
200 Yard Individual Medley: Madeline VerDouw, Bismarck High, 2:09.64
50 Yard Freestyle: Dru Zander, Williston, 24.05
Diving: Haley Conklin, Minot High, 513.95 * New State Record *
100 Yard Butterfly: Dru Zander, Williston, 56.99
100 Yard Freestyle: Arianna Hoff, Fargo Shanley, 52.21
500 Yard Freestyle: Brooklyn Hanson, Fargo Shanley, 5:14.40
200 Yard Freestyle Relay: Bismarck Century (Sienna Mrachek, Aubrey Caster, Molly Osadchy, Abigail Jablonsky), 1:40.47
100 Yard Backstroke: Addison Cerney, Fargo North, 57.04
100 Yard Breaststroke: Madeline VerDouw, Bismarck High, 1:04.64
400 Yard Freestyle Relay: Bismarck Legacy (Abby Erickson, Brinley Steele, Tova Blikre, Lilyana Hochhalter), 3:35.35
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