Kingsford freshman Aubree Peterson swims the backstroke at a meet at Marquette on Jan. 18. Peterson won the 500 freestyle Thursday at Northern Lights YMCA Dickinson Center, shaving 18 seconds of her time. (Ron Deuter photo)

IRON MOUNTAIN — The Kingsford swim team will be well represented at next month’s U.P. finals.

In command against Gladstone and Rudyard on Thursday at the Northern Lights YMCA Dickinson Center pool, the Flivvers added seven new qualifying swims to the 52 already posted this season.

“The kids did really well considering the week of school closings,” Flivvers head coach Jim Lindstrom said. “We had a lot of pleasant surprises in this meet with just about everyone dropping time.”

Kingsford’s girls won the meet with 130 points to Gladstone’s 63 and Rudyard’s 54. On the boys’ side, it was Kingsford scoring 125, with Gladstone at 76 and Rudyard with 26 points. Kingsford won nine individual events and all four relays.

New U.P. qualifying times were turned in by Iron Mountain senior Joey Lundholm with a win in the 50 free at 24.74 seconds. Iron Mountain sophomore Mary Lundholm’s second in the 200 free hit the U.P. mark. Iron Mountain junior Elena Nelson posted a qualifier in the 500 free.

She finished fourth in the race, with Aubree Peterson (already qualified) securing the win in 6:15.83. Peterson dropped 18 seconds on her 500 time, despite injuring her shoulder earlier in the meet.

Junior Marley Dixon was third in the 200 IM, but managed a U.P. time. Freshman Bryce Johnson edged junior teammate Sam Lamirand for second in the 200 freestyle to register another U.P. time. Senior Sierra Scott qualified in the 100 backstroke, taking second there. Freshman Allison Deuter was second to sophomore teammate Ella McLean in the 100 breaststroke for another U.P. time. McLean has already qualified for that race.

With their latest qualifying swims, Scott and Deuter have now earned the right to compete for a U.P title in all seven individual events. However, swimmers are limited to just two individual swims at the finals.

Other wins Thursday for Kingsford included sophomore Thomas Gibbons in the 200 IM (2:30.44); Deuter in the 50 free (26.64); Lundholm in the boys 100 fly (59.19); senior Petra Kaad in the 100 free (1:06.43); and Johnson in the 100 backstroke (1:03.94).

“He is quietly having an incredible first season, just killing it the 100 backstroke,” Lindstrom said of Johnson, who currently holds the second-fastest 100 back in the U.P.

The Flivvers head back to Marquette for a meet Tuesday.