Sports: Lumberjacks face swimming pool challenges

As if dealing with the Covid-19 pandemic were not enough, the Cloquet-Esko-Carlton girls swim team has also been swimming every meet on the road because of problems at the 3-year-old pool at the Cloquet Middle School.

"From my understanding, there is a motor that is not working in the ventilation system," said Cloquet activities director Paul Riess. "When the replacement motor was delivered, that one did not work either. So we are waiting for another replacement motor. It will be about three weeks until that is delivered and installed."

Because the ventilation motor failed, the air in the pool area is not circulating properly, which can cause health issues. So the $6 million pool has been shut down. The swim team can't practice there and Community Ed swim classes have also been postponed.

"We are busing to Lincoln Park three nights a week for practice," said CEC swim coach Rachel Peterson. "Somehow the issues with Covid weren't enough of a challenge for us this year."

On Tuesday the 'Jacks swam a dual meet in Superior and fell to the Spartans 98-88.

CEC took a number of firsts in the meet with Hannah Sandman finishing first in the 200 freestyle, along with Emma Peterson in the 500 free and Megan Chopskie in the 100 backstroke. The CEC 200 freestyle team of Chopskie, Rylee Demers, Peterson and Sandman swam to a scorching top time of 1:53.90. Peterson, Mollie Belich, Chopskie and Sandman also teamed up to take first in the 400 freestyle relay with a time of 4:08.27.

Madeline Gorski finished a strong second in the 100 breaststroke and Sandman finished second in the 100 butterfly. The CEC 200 medley relay team of Taylor Wenneson, Gorski, Makenzie Simula and Melody Hietala also took second in the event.

The Lumberjacks also notched three third-place finishes when Halle Zuck took third in the 200 IM, Jessica Pagelkopf did the same in diving and Mollie Belich finished in third in the 100 freestyle.

No spectators are allowed at the meets.