by Tom Coombe
A young Northeast Range/Ely team made some strides in the water Tuesday afternoon near the Canadian border.
Host International Falls cruised to 114-53 victory in the season-opening dual meet for both high school girls swimming teams.
While the deeper, more experienced Broncos racked up most of the first-place finishes and the bulk of the points, NRE had more than a few highlights as well.
“I really think the kids are doing great for where they are,” said head coach Cheri DeBeltz. “For such a small returning group, the kids who have returned are doing great and the young ones are learning.”
Lucy Luthens dominated the 500 yard freestyle, winning in 7:04.15 and beating her nearest foe by almost 20 seconds, while Jorden Borchert picked up a convincing win in the 200 freestyle with a time of 2:30.55 and nearly five seconds to spare.
It was Luthens, Raegan Borchert, Jorden Borchert and Lindsey Israel who formed a second-place 200 medley relay team, and NRE gained a second-place finish in the 200 freestyle relay with Jorden Borchert, Israel, Luthens and Ivy Ohlhauser.
A third Nighthawks relay also placed second, with Ohlhauser, Israel, Nicole Freking and Luthens combining for a runner-up finish in 4:44.52.
Individually, Raegan Borchert was the runner-up in the 100 backstroke (1:28.70), while NRE thirds went to Jorden Borchert (100 breaststroke), Moon Vetos-Keen (500 freestyle). Nicole Freking (100 freestyle), Raegan Borchert (500 freestyle), Evelyn Moran (200 individual medley) and Israel (100 butterfly).
“The kids who have returned are doing great and the young ones are gaining a lot of experience and confidence,” said DeBeltz. “They’re learning what meets are about, and the older ones are getting a chance to see where their times are early in the season.”
The Nighthawks had their home opener in Babbitt on Thursday. It was the first of five home meets in the Babbitt pool this fall.
2026 Northeast Range/
Ely Girls Swimming
Schedule
Sept. 3: Proctor
Sept. 10: at Mes. East
Sept. 15: at Rock Ridge
Sept. 19: at Hibbing
Invite, 1 p.m
Sept. 24: at Chisholm
Sept. 26: at Soderlind
Invite, Duluth
Sept. 29: Two Harbors
Oct. 3: at Lumberjack
Log Jam, Cloquet, 1 p.m.
Oct. 6: at Dul. Denfeld
Oct. 10: at True Team
Section, Hibbing
Oct. 13: Cloquet-Esko
Oct. 20: Int. Falls,
4:30 p.m.
Oct. 22: Stella Maris
Oct. 27: at Pumpkin
Pentangular, Aurora
Oct. 29: at IRC Meet,
Int. Falls, 3 p.m.
Home meets in bold
Meets at 5 p.m. unless
noted
