Webber#039;s diving record paces Packers

Published 12:00 am Monday, January 13, 2003

Austin High School senior diver Beau Webber broke the school and meet record with a total of 432.55 to highlight the Packers' second-place finish at the their own invitational Saturday at Ellis Middle School.

Webber reset his own school record to win Austin's only first-place finish at the Packer Invite.

Austin's second-place team finish trailed only rival Albert Lea. The Tigers had at least one participant in the top three of 10 out of 11 swimming events to ease into the team title with 373.5 points. Austin was a close second with 349, while Mankato East was third with 322.

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The Packers' 200-yard freestyle relay team was the only other Austin finisher in the top three. Derek Hall took fourth in the 50 freestyle, and the 200 medley relay was also fourth.

The 400 freestyle relay team took fifth place in a time of 3:40.15. Ryan O'Leary was fifth in the diving competition, while Erik Sherman placed seventh in the 100 butterfly and Ethan Simonson was seventh in the 100 freestyle.

Austin had four placewinners in two events — the 200 freestyle and the diving competition. Simonson led teammates Carl Bauer (8), Jacob Rausch (13) and Brian Forman (16) through the finish in the 200 free, while Michael Wagner and Matt Johnson went 9-10 behind Webber and O'Leary.

The Packers pulled into the lead for the team race only once -- after the diving competition. Albert Lea regained the gold position by taking 2-3 in the following event -- the 100 butterfly -- and kept it through the final race.

Austin hosts Big Nine Conference foe Winona on Thursday at 6 p.m.

Team standings -- 1. Albert Lea 373.5, 2. Austin 349, 3. Mankato East 322, 4. Northfield 286, 5. Century 246, 6. Mason City 205.5, 7. Mayo 202, 8. Owatonna 180, 9. John Marshall 155.