Northfield girls swim and dive hopes to build off successful season

After a move down a class, the Northfield High School girls swim and dive team responded with a first-place finish at the Section 1A meet and completed the 2023 season with an 11th-place finish at the MSHSL Class A state championships.

The Raiders also highlighted their season with a second-place finish at the 2023 Big 9 Conference championships and placed seventh at last year’s Class A state true team championship event.

“It was absolutely beneficial for us,” Northfield coach Kristi Kortuem said about her team’s move to Class A in 2023. “The year we were in Class AA, we had one individual qualifier, and last year, we multiple state qualifiers, including all three relays.”

Northfield’s roster last season was also blessed with several talented seniors, including All-State and All-Conference award recipients Leah Enedy, Charlotte Flory and Aya Myint, along with Josie Hauck and Alivia Kortuem, who earned All-Conference awards.

“Our team graduated some talented athletes who we will definitely miss but I like to think of this year as an opportunity for some new people to step up,” Coach Kortuem said.

The squad’s top returning individual will be senior captain Nora Kortuem, who scored All-State accolades with a fourth-place finish at the state meet in the 100 butterfly and a third place finish in the 100 backstroke. She was also part of the Raiders’ 200 free relay team that placed eighth and the 400 relay team that placed 11th at state.

“Nora is back with us this year and her first meet this year was great, so it looks like she is back in contention. She was under state qualifying times at that first meet, so that’s a good sign,” Kristi Kortuem said.

Nora Kortuem helped NHS tie Farmington in the squad’s home opener on August 22 by a score of 93-93. She placed first in both the 100 backstroke and 200 IM and was on the team’s winning 200 medley relay and 400 free relay.

“I’m already off to a good start with my events and my goal is to be back there (the state meet) and be as competitive as I can in my individual events and a couple of the relays…and I hope to have many teammates there like last year,” Nora Kortuem said.

Other Northfield athletes this season with state meet experience include Mae Bowers, Addie Llyod, Greta Kortuem, Maria Hegland, Ella Holleran and senior captain Ella Krupicka. Of note, Bowers won the 500 freestyle in the match against Farmington last week.

A Raider who has shown much promise in the early season includes team captain Edy McLaughlin, who is a senior that competes in the 50 free, 100 breaststroke and the relays. Coach Kristi Kortuem also points to the emergence of sophomore Hollis Holden as a swimmer to watch this season along with eighth grader Violet Connole.

“Violet swam in her first varsity race for us against Farmington and won the 100 fly and won it with a personal best time of 1:06.94, which was really fun to see,” Kristi Kortuem said. “It is exciting to see her start the season with so much energy and strength. Hollis Holden also aided in the comeback by taking second place in the same event.”

In addition to Nora Kortuem, Krupicka and McLaughlin, Northfield’s senior leadership group this season is completed by junior captain Ella Porter. An injury over the summer has forced Porter to the sidelines this season but she will still play a key role with this team this fall.

“Sadly Ella (Porter) is sitting here with an ACL tear in her knee that happened over the summer after playing softball. Devastating for her but it is an opportunity for her to lead in a different way and she is doing a fabulous job with that,” Kristi Kortuem said.

Porter added, “I am on my way to recovery, so it is looking different than I had planned this season and anyway I can be for these girls outside of the water is important.”

McLaughlin noted that this year’s squad has a strong team bond and she hopes to build that in her role as a captain this year.

“Team environment-wise, we are a lot stronger than we were last year. I feel a lot closer to the girls on the team and we’ve done a good job fostering that environment,” McLaughlin said. “I try to make an effort to cheer girls on and help them through harder races or when they are having a harder practice. I think it is really important as a captain to call out people who are doing a good job.”

Krupicka also provided her thoughts on being a captain in 2024, “I really want to try and bring a lot of good energy to the pool deck. We had a real good meet against Farmington and it was the most exciting meet we’ve had in a long time. So I am looking forward to a lot more of those.”

As a senior, Nora Kortuem is looking forward to a memorable final season of prep swimming and hopes to be a positive influence on her younger teammates.

“It’s definitely scary to think that I’ve been on this team for five years and this is my sixth and final year,” Nora Kortuem said. “I remember watching the seniors when I was an underclassmen and looking up to them, and one of my biggest goals is to be there and be approachable for a lot of the younger athletes. I just want to lead by example. I work really hard in the pool to get where I want to be at the end of the season and I hope that the other girls see that and it wil help to motivate them.”

All four team captains look to Mankato West, Austin and Winona as top teams to beat in the Section, while Rochester Mayo and Rochester Century will be top rivals in the race for first in the always rugged Big 9 Conference.

“It is going to be tougher for us this year. Last year we came in and we were really dominant in the section but this year, I think we’re going to see Austin as a team we are going to have to fight with and Mankato West is a team we are going to be battling along with Winona,” Kristi Kortuem said. “As far as the Big 9 Conference goes, I think Century and Mayo will be the top contenders with the talent they are able to pull in from the Rochester Swim Club.”

Northfield will return home on Thursday, Aug. 29 for a 6:00 p.m. dual meet against Red Wing. A midseason highlight includes the Section True Team meet, which will be hosted this season by Northfield on Oct. 11-12. Fans should also mark their calendar for Oct. 25-26 as the Rochester Recreation Center will host the Big 9 championship. On Nov. 6-7, NHS will return to the Rochester for the Section 1A meet.