The Austin Packers were nipped by the Mankato West Scarlets Tuesday night at Ellis Middle School in the Packers’ first home meet of the season.

Wednesday, September 08, 1999

The Austin Packers were nipped by the Mankato West Scarlets Tuesday night at Ellis Middle School in the Packers’ first home meet of the season.

The Packers had five first-place finishes, three of which were either by Meghan Walsh.

Walsh, a freshman, was first in the 200-yard individual medley with a time of 2 minutes, 23 seconds and won by a full body length or roughly 4 seconds in the 100 butterfly (1:04.7). Both times were Walsh’s best times this season.

Walsh also teamed with Sarah Heins, Tristen Kusterer and Becky Sanford in the 400 freestyle relay (4:02.1).

Sanford, who was also first in the 200 freestyle (2:09.04), anchored the 400 freestyle relay team, giving the Packers a victory in one of several tight finishes. Sanford touched the wall .31 seconds faster then her Mankato West counterpart.

Sanford’s time in the 200 freestyle was her best this season and she also took second in the 100 backstroke (1:05.51) after swimming the event for the first time this year.

"So far it’s been good," Sanford said of her season. "But it’s only the beginning."

The other Austin first place came in diving from eighth-grader Danielle Chapek, who also was first last week at Winona.

Chapek said the key to her winning score came on her inward one-half dive, which carried a 2.02 degree of difficulty.

"I really need that to get me over the top," she said.

Austin’s second best diver on the night, freshman Katie Bambrick, received her first 5 from a judge this season.

"I’m doing about as well as I did last year, but with more complex dives," said Bambrick after taking fifth.

Three Austin swimmers set personal bests Tuesday night. Stacy Bjorlie, a seventh-grader, set a new time in the 200 individual medley (2:34.72) and in the 500 freestyle (2:34.72). Sophomore Tristen Kusterer set a new lifetime best in the 100 backstroke (1:10.72) and Lauren Goettsch set a new personal best in the 100 freestyle (1:00.42).

Goettsch nearly set a new personal mark in the 50 freestyle, falling .58 seconds shy.

"Those are kids that have been on varsity before and went to the conference and section meet last year so to be setting new lifetime bests this early is good," said Austin head coach Lynn Gulbrandson.

Despite the conference loss in the home opener, Gulbrandson was pleased with Austin’s progress after three meets this year.

"Meghan Walsh had two real solid events and Becky Sanford was real strong," Gulbrandson said. "They’re getting close to state cut off times and that’s good for this time of the year."

The automatic timing system and scoreboard, which was added to Ellis Pool only last year, malfunctioned, forcing the host team to use a handful of parents and other volunteers to keep times manually with stopwatches.

200 Medley Relay

1. Suzie Stevenson, Lindsay Schultz, Samarah Robinson, Jenny Stallkamp (MW) 2:00.98

2. Liz Goskesen, Amy Martin, Maeghan Walshn, Lauren Goettsch (A) 2:02.82

3. Tristen Krusterer,Stacy Bjorlie, Lisa Champlin, Nicole Champlin, (A) 2:08.43

200 Freestyle

1. Becky Sanford (A) 2:23.16

2. Amanda Stevens (MW) 2:10.12

3. Sarah Heins (A) 2:34.72

4. Kelly Stevens (MW) 2:12.16

5. Kelli Hanson (MW) 2:16.41

200 Individual Medley

1. Meghan Walsh (A) 2:23.16

2. Brittney stevens (MW) 2:26.94

3. Samarah Robinson (MW) 2:34.65

4. Stacy Bjorlie (A) 2:34.72

5. Marsha Rueda (MW) 2:36.41

50 Freestyle

1. Jenny Stallkamp (MW) 26.38

2. Lauren Goettsech (A) 26.58

3. Suzie Stevenson (MW) 26.97

4. Lauren Goettsech (A) 26.58

5. Angie Boeck (MW) 28:00

Diving

1. Danielle Chapick (A) 151.25

2. T. Hanson (MW) 137.05

3. K Wnders (MW) 131.95

4. A. Kruger (MW) 127.2

5. Katie Bambrick (A) 94.3

100 Butterfly

1. Meghan Walsh (A) 1:04.7

2. Lindsay Schultz (MW) 1:08.55

3. Marisa Rueda (MW) 1:12.46

4. Mari Savig (MW) 112.13

5. Alisha Farrell (A) 1:15.75

100 Freestyle

1. Jenny Stalkamp (MW) 58.42

2. Laruen Goettsch (A) 1:00.42

3. Kelli Hanson (MW) 1:01.29

4. TristenZ Kusterer (A) 1:01.42

5. C. Stalkamp (MW) 1:03.58

500 Freestyle

1. Brittney Stevens (MW) 5:49.62

2. Amanda Stevens (MW) 6:00.05

3. Sarah Heins (A) 6:05.6

4. Stacy Bjorlie (A) 6:13.83

5. Chrissy Srock (A) 6:36.58

200 Freestyle Relay

1. S. Stevenson, A Stevens, K Stevenson, J. Stalkamp (MW) 1:48.71

2. Becky Sanford, Amy Martin, Sarah Heins, Lauren Goettsch (A) 149.07

3. S. Robinson, A Stevens, K. Stevens, J. Stalkamp (MW) 1:53.83

100 Backstroke

1. S. Stevenson (MW) 1:05.29

2. Becky Sanford (A) 149..07

3. K Stevens (MW) 1:09.67

4. Liz Goskesen (A) 1:10.24

5. Tristen Kusterer (A) 1:10.72

100 Breaststroke

1. S. Robinson (MW) 1:15.95

2. Amy Martin (A) 1:19.15

3. Carrie Braaten (A) 1:19.89

4. J. Tung (MW) 1:24.15

5. Nicole Champlin (A) 124.14

400 Freestyle

1. Meghan Walsh, Sarah Heins, Tristen Kusterer, Becky Sanford (A) 4:02.10

2. B. Steven, K. Hanson, A. Stevens, K. Stevens (MW) 4:02.41

3. Stacy Bjorlie, Lisa Champlin, Carrie Braaten, Liz Goskesen 4:18.53