Spartan spikers first at Marshall; Heinen wins twice and sets record in 500 free

The Superior High School volleyball team defeated Duluth Denfeld 26-24, 26-24 to capture the Hilltopper Invitational on Saturday.

The Spartans split their pool play match with the Hunters earlier in the day 25-13, 23-25 before defeating host Duluth Marshall (25-15, 25-12), Proctor (25-11, 25-15) and Lakeview Christian Academy (25-9, 25-11) and earning a spot in the championship match.

Superior also defeated Duluth Denfeld once again in Lake Superior Conference action Tuesday night 3-0 (25-13, 25-13, 25-20).

The Spartans are at Duluth East at 7 p.m. Thursday.

Hilltopper Invitational

Pool Play

Superior tied Dul. Denfeld 25-13, 23-25

Superior def. Dul. Marshall 25-15, 25-12

Superior def. Proctor 25-11, 25-15

Superior def. Lakeview Christian Academy 25-9, 25-11

Duluth Denfeld tied Duluth Marshall 25-7, 24-26

Duluth Denfeld def. Proctor 25-12, 25-13

Duluth Denfeld def. LCA 25-7, 25-16

Duluth Marshall def. Proctor 25-18, 25-18

Duluth Marshall def. LCA 25-16, 25-8

Proctor def. LCA 25-16, 25-20

First place — Superior def. Duluth Denfeld 26-24, 26-24

Third place — Duluth Marshall def. Proctor 25-22, 27-25

Heinen sets record, Sanders strikes gold

Superior’s Kaitlin Heinen won the 100 and 200 freestyle races at Saturday’s Taconite Invitational in Aurora, Minn.

Heinen also set a SHS team record in the 500 yard freestyle to help the Spartans finish second as a team behind Duluth East.

Jill Erdman, a USAF Academy graduate and pilot, held the 500 freestyle mark since 1997.

Heinen sprinted to the lead and then held a fast steady pace finishing over half a pool length ahead.

Fellow freshman Kaitlin Sanders won the breaststroke and her first ever individual medal as a Spartan.

Sanders also swam breaststroke on the second place 200 medley along with Tori Johnson, Kaitlin Heinen and Kelsey Hansen.

Despite taking second place, the 400 free relay of Hansen, Johnson, Grace Elonen and Heinen earned a place in SHS swim team history as they swam to fourth on the SHS all-time list, just a few seconds off the team record.

Individuals earning silver medals included Kerrigan Grimstad in diving and Tori Johnson in the 50 free and backstroke.

Senior Kelsey Hansen took a pair of thirds along with two relay silvers.

Superior hosts LSC rival Cloquet-Esko-Carlton at 5 p.m. Thursday then travels to Morgan Park for the Greyhound Invitational on Saturday.

Taconite Invitational

At Aurora

Team Standings

1. Duluth East, 360; 2. Superior, 200; 3. Mesabi East, 171; 4. International Falls, 140; 5. Eveleth-Gilbert, 126; 6. Duluth Denfeld, 108; 7. Virginia, 81.5; 8. Chisholm, 74; 9. Cloquet-Esko-Carlton, 72.5; 10. Northeast Range-Ely, 38.

Individual Results

200 Medley Relay — 1. DE, 2:00.34; 2. SHS (Tori Johnson, Kaitlin Sanders, Kaitlin Heinen, Kelsey Hansen), 2:02.98.

50 Free — 1. Katrina Leoni, EG, 26.72; 2. Johnson, SHS, 26.95; 3. Kelsey Hansen, SHS, 27.31.

100 Free — 1. Alissa Marlow, DE, 56.65; 3. Kelsey Hansen, SHS, 59.34.

200 Free — 1. Kaitlin Heinen, SHS, 2:04.55; 11. Kjersten Lisak, SHS, 2:23.65 (PB).

500 Free — 1. Heinen, S, 5:32.80 (SHS record, old record, Jill Erdman, 1997, 5:36.79); 11. Kjersten, SHS, 6:34.58 (PB).

200 Free Relay — 1. DE, 1:49.05; 8. SHS (Steph Hanson, Kirsten Lisak, Sanders, Grace Elonen), 1:59.74.

400 Free Relay — 1. DE, 3:52.45; 2. SHS (Kelsey Hansen, Johnson, Elonen, Kaitlin Heinen), 3:54.12 (4th SHS all-time).

200 Individual Medley — 1. Knauss, DE, 2:24.01; 6. Elonen, SHS, 2:42.19.

100 Backstroke — 1. Punyko, DE, 1:04.92; 2. Johnson, SHS, 1:06.75.

100 Breaststroke — 1. Sanders, SHS, 1:16.57; 9. Nicole Hansen, SHS, 1:21.15.

100 Butterfly — 1. Knauss, DE, 1:04.92; 8. Grace Elonen, SHS, 1:16.38.

Diving — 1. Savannah Robertson, ME, 259.90; 2. Kerrigan Grimstad, 241.10 (personnel best); 8. Kaitlyn Mergen, 177.40 (PB).

Boys Soccer

Trevor Laroche-Theune had a hat trick, and the Washburn/Bayfield soccer team defeated the Spartans 4-1 Monday in non-conference action at the SHS Soccer complex.

The Spartans also traveled to Chippewa Falls for the annual October quad on Saturday, losing to La Crosse Central 5-1 and La Crosse Logan 4-1.

Caleb Dushkin, with an assist from Spencer Sitek, scored for the Spartans, who got three saves from Jarret Byrnes in the first half and seven from Zach Brosdal in the sec ond.

Against Logan, senior twin brothers Rexi and Refi Olson combined to score for Superior.

Brosdal finished with five saves in goal.

SPARTAN SPIN: The SHS JV (0-12-2) lost 6-0 to Hudson and 2-0 to La Crosse Logan. … Superior plays at Ashland at 4 p.m. Thursday.

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