Bismarck Century finished on top with a total score of 588.5 Saturday at the Minot Invitational at Magic City Campus. Just 63.5 points behind them was Minot High at 525 followed by Williston High (270.5), Grand Forks Red River (218), Legacy (204), Grand Forks Central (197), Mandan (178) and Bismarck High School (140).

“I think overall we swam pretty well… It’s October so our kids are tired and we’re used to having October be a good training month,” Minot High head coach Emily Jensen said. “To swim fast while we’re tired is kind of our goal and we had some really great swims today.”

The Majettes were able to capture a few key first place finishes to chip away at Century’s lead.

The invitational also gave the Majettes a chance to see Grand Forks Red River and Grand Forks Central, which they had yet to see so far this season.

Ashton Gerard/MDN Minot High School freshman Jordn Wolsky competes in the 100-yard butterfly during a swimming and diving invitational Saturday at Magic City Campus. Wolsky finished in third with a time of 1:03.76.

“They’ve got some really fast kids up at the top so it was good for our kids to see, especially when we see their names on the sheets, but to actually race them and be competitive with them was fun,” Jensen said.

The Majettes started the day with a second place finish in the 200-yard medley relay with a final time of 1:53.78.

Iris Jessen started the relay in backstroke, finishing her portion in third just behind Century and Williston. Senior Rylie Webb was next in the water and was able to glide past Williston’s Marisa Branham for the second place spot behind Century. Emily Brugman at butterfly and Payton Luzardo at freestyle held on for Minot’s second place finish. Century finished first with a time of 1:52.43.

Senior Hannah Zaderaka took second in the 200-yard freestyle with a final time of 2:00.63 behind Grand Forks Red River’s Elsa Musselman who finished with a 1:57.74.

Zaderaka started the race in third behind Musselman and Bismarck Century’s Sarah Dorrheim. Zaderaka surpassed Dorrheim at the 150-yard mark but didn’t have enough left in the tank to overtake Musselman. Brugman finished fifth in the event with a time of 2:05.30.

“Hannah Zaderaka’s 200 freestyle was awesome today,” Jensen said. “She’s kind of been struggling to feel her way back through the water and I think today was a really big confidence booster for her.”

The 200-yard individual medley supplied the Majettes a first and second place finish. Webb led the entire time, from butterfly to freestyle, to secure the win with a time of 2:15.30.

Junior Iris Jessen led after her butterfly and backstroke but Century’s Avery Meyhoff was able to take the second place slot after breaststroke. What came down to a battle of freestyle, Jessen was able to out-touch Meyhoff at the finish to take second with a time of 2:22.14 followed immediately by Meyhoff at 2:22.33.

Adisynn Widdel finished first in diving with a total score of 421.30.

“We had three new qualifiers for the season so now we have all the divers that we need qualified for state and it makes me happy,” Minot diving coach Barb McPeak said. “The three that qualified did such a good job (today).”

The three that qualified were seventh-grader Emma Kesler (299.35), sophomore Emma Wedar (283.90) and junior Brooklyn Casey (295.35).

Webb took home her second first place finish in the 100-yard breaststroke, finishing with a time of 1:09.96.

The 400 freestyle relay cut three seconds off their time to take a convincing first place finish and the 200 freestyle relay had a very close finish to take third.

The 400 relay was definitely the main event of the day, with the crowd chanting “Minot relay,” as Zaderaka readied herself on the block. Zaderaka was off to a quick start, finishing her 100-yards with a 55.57 and coming in a close second behind GFRR’s Musselman. Brugman was out next, taking the first place spot after her first 50 and maintaining until the end. Both Webb and Luzardo extended the lead during their portions and the crowd erupted in cheers as relay anchor Luzardo touched the wall for the finish.

“I just think our girls are stepping up in the relays really well and rising to the challenge so I was really impressed with our relays today,” Jensen said.

The Majettes jump back in the water Friday, Oct. 12, for a quad meet against Bismarck Century, West Fargo and West Fargo Sheyenne at Hulbert Aquatic Facility in West Fargo.