FARMINGTON, Minn. -- Farmington swimmer Parker Risch enters her senior season with a hope to "get faster" and "winning more meets." 

Check. And check.

The Tigers opened the season with three straight dual meet victories. 

Risch generally swims in the medley relay, 400 free relay, 200 IM, and 100 breaststroke. But has learned to adapt over her four years on the team, "I started as a distance swimmer which I didn't really like. As I've gotten older, different coaches, they've put me in different races. I've gotten to swim everything. I've really enjoyed that."

She podiumed in the 200 IM at sections in 2024.

Risch is excited about the potential of the relays, "Taylor (Gergen) and I both being breaststrokers, I think our medley relay could be really good. With Taylor and I being the only seniors, the younger girls coming up, they're really good. So, I think in the next few years, the near future, our team will be amazing."

First-year head coach Sam Kendall adds, "We have a very heavy ninth grade, even sophomore class and I think some of these older kids – the few that we have – can mentor and take them places this year and build for what we have coming in the next couple years."

He was very excited about a solid season opening win over Northfield after a close meet last year. He feels FHS can be mid-pack in the South Suburban Conference, "For how tiny (in numbers) we are, is where we want to be. Have some state swims. Have some great section swims. Everything should be good."

This season's roster is at 28. He would like to see a squad of 40 and believes that's achievable with club programs feeding into it.

Gergen says, "It's going on my fifth year. I know what to expect. I know how the season will look. But it's really exciting with new coaches and new girls. It adds some excitement to the season.

"When I think of my first year on the team, I think of the older girls and how they've impacted me and my experience on the team. So, when I was captain coming into this season, I really want to have that same impact."

She loves to see how the team improves, "I like to see the progress people make from the first day to the championship meets. So, I like to see people beating their goals and seeing overall improvement and having fun."

Gergen is a three-time state participant in the 100 breaststroke, finishing tenth last season, "It was very good. Really good competition. I felt like I met my standards, and I did a good performance."

She adds the 100 fly, medley relay, and 200 free relay to her regular lineup. She won the 50 free and 100 backstroke during a 114-57 victory over Burnsville on September 4.

Sophomore Micaela Cardoza takes pride in being a captain, "My sister (Maddy) was on the team way before me. And that pushed me to be on the team because I saw these fast, older girls. My sister was also a captain. Seeing them be such great leaders, and so fast. Good role models of what I could be when I'm older. And that's what I want to be for younger girls even though I am a sophomore."

Cardoza reached the podium in the 100 backstroke, 200 freestyle, 200 free relay, and 200 medley relay last season. She also swims the 400 free relay. Cardoza had a strong season opening meet in a 106-76 victory over Northfield on August 21.

She sees the Tigers' togetherness as a strength, "The community of the swim team. We're all close. Because it is a smaller team and we're all very close. Being together every day."

Kendall highlights the divers, "We've got a junior leader in Finn Samuell. She'll be awesome this year. Claire Gergen, which is Taylor's sister, as a sophomore. And Brooke (Kunz) who has a lot of potential as a freshman. We've got an eighth and seventh grader that joined the team this year. I think they come from a gymnastics world. They'll be really awesome."

He saw the Tigers' coaching opportunity as a natural fit, "Being from Rosemount. Being a part of this conference. (Farmington) being such a smaller, tight-knit community, I think, is a really nice thing. Coming from Eden Prairie and it being such a big pond, it's nice to be part of a littler pond and be a part of, essentially, my community. Or very close to my community."

After being an All-Conference, All-State, and All-American with Rosemount, Kendall swam for St. Cloud State University. He got into coaching in 2019, working at the club level at Life Time Swim and South Metro Storm. He's coached high school swimming at St. Paul Highland Park/SPA, East Ridge, and Eden Prairie, who pays a visit to Farmington on Tuesday, September 23. He's also the current boys head swim coach for Prior Lake.

The remaining regular season schedule includes a meet versus Eastview at Falcon Ridge Middle School on Thursday, September 25. The Tigers have home meets on Thursday, October 2 against Lakeville North and on Tuesday, October 7 with Shakopee. Both are at 6 pm. FHS also hosts the True Team section meet on Saturday, October 11.

Risch enjoys defending the home pool advantage, "I love our pool. I don't think it's necessarily the fastest but I just love being in the home atmosphere with all our fans."

The Tigers go to Rosemount on Tuesday, October 14 and Eagan on Tuesday, October 21. Sections are November 5-7 in Rochester. The state meet is November 13-15 at the University of Minnesota.