Como Park senior Aleia Lueck concluded her high school swimming career on a high note, securing the Class A 50-yard freestyle state title on March 16, 2024. Lueck swam a remarkable time of 23.52 seconds, edging out Delano’s Kaia Georges by just six hundredths of a second. This victory marked a significant achievement for Lueck, who had already impressed with a strong preliminary performance earlier in the competition.
In addition to her individual triumph in the 50 freestyle, Lueck also showcased her versatility by finishing second in the 100 freestyle. She recorded a time of 52.17 seconds, trailing only Izzy Westling of St. Cloud Apollo, who claimed the event’s championship.
Biebl Dominates with Two Titles
Mounds Park Academy’s Alaina Biebl continued her successful streak at the championships, defending her title in the 100 backstroke with an impressive time of 56.73 seconds. Her performance secured a commanding victory by eight-tenths of a second. Biebl’s day began with a strong showing in the 200 medley relay, where she swam the opening backstroke leg for her team. The Panthers finished first, beating Visitation by nearly a second. Biebl was joined in the relay by teammates Isabella Muyres, Julia Anderson, and Josie MacDonald.
Biebl also competed in the 200 individual medley, where she finished third. Visitation’s Merry Miller won that event with a time of 2 minutes, 5.94 seconds, narrowly outperforming Westling by just 22 hundredths of a second. Miller also claimed second place in the 100 breaststroke, finishing just four-hundredths behind Kate Walz of Sauk Rapids Rice, who won with a time of 1 minute, 3.90 seconds.
Aarness Takes Diving Crown
In the diving competition, Hastings junior Chloe Aarness established a solid lead during the state diving prelims and maintained her advantage in the finals. Aarness achieved a winning score of 465.40 points, surpassing Westonka’s Bailey Monette by 18.6 points to secure the state diving title.
The overall team championship was claimed by Monticello, who finished with 227 points. Visitation secured the runner-up position for the second consecutive year with 210 points, while defending champions Orono placed third. Mounds Park Academy rounded out the top five.
This year’s championships not only highlighted the individual talents of the athletes but also underscored the competitive spirit of high school swimming in the region. The accomplishments of Lueck, Biebl, and Aarness will be remembered as they transition to the next phases of their athletic careers.
