By Becky Walz,
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Seniors leading the way for the Decorah boys’ swim team this season are (l-r) Nat Roberts, Simon Kutz, Isaac Knaack, Mason Cote, Dominic Bigalk and Dylan Hogan. (Photo courtesy of Tami Bohr)
It was another meet to make a coach proud for the Decorah boys swim team.
The Vikings competed at the Marcussen Invite, hosted by Cedar Falls Saturday. They put up 223 points to finish fifth overall. Waukee was the team champion with 551 points with Dowling Catholic taking second with 418.
“Wow, another meet with fast times for the boys team. We are entering that time in the season where our yardage in practice is creating heavy arms in meets…yet, we are still swimming a lot faster than this time last year,” said Coach Loran Storts.
Isaac Knaack put up a good race in the 100-yard backstroke, grabbing bronze and Decorah’s best finish of the day in 56.13 seconds.
Two events finished in fourth place including Knaack in the 100-yard freestyle as he stopped the clock at the 51.32 seconds mark. The senior was also a member of the fourth-place 200-yard freestyle relay. Knaack joined his talents with Dylan Hogan, Mason Cote and Simon Kutz for a time of 1:34.45.
Rounding out the top five finishes for the Vikes were the 200-yard medley relay, Cote in the 100-yard breaststroke and the 400-yard freestyle relay.
Next up, is the Vikes only home meet of the season on Friday, Dec. 15, against Grinnell, Mason City, Vinton-Shellsburg and Waterloo West at Luther College starting at 6 p.m. The team will be honoring its seniors as well at the final event before the holiday break.
Marcussen Invite team scores
1. Waukee 551; 2. Dowling Catholic 418; 3. Pleasant Valley 393; 4. Cedar Falls 372; 5. Decorah 223; 6. Cedar Rapids Jefferson 89; 7. Mason City 64; 8. Waterloo 40
Varsity race results
200 medley relay – 5. Isaac Knaack, Mason Cote, Simon Kutz, Dylan Hogan, 1:44.58; 10. Ethan Casper, Reid Kuehner, Nat Roberts, Ian Giddings, 1:58.53
200 free – 11. Dom Bigalk 2:00.23; 17. Max Grimstad 2:10.66; 21. Tommy Hammel 2:16.10
200 IM – 13. Kuehner 2:24.63; 18. Will Robinson 2:34.68; 22. Keaton Vobr 2:42.36
50 free – 8. Cote 24.13; 10. Hogan 24.39; 16. Giddings 25.22
100 fly – 12. Kutz 1:01.26; 16. Roberts 1:06.40; 22. Dalton Ellickson 1:24.77
100 free – 4. Knaack 51.32; 20. Casper 1:03.82; 21. Olver Bollinger 1:08.33
500 free – 12. Bigalk 5:33.75; 18. Grimstad 6:08.65
200 free relay – 4. Knaack, Hogan, Cote, Kutz, 1:34.45; 11. Giddings, Grimstad, Kyle Pattison, Bollinger, 1:48.82
100 back – 3. Knaack 56.13; Casper 1:15.46
100 breast – 5. Cote 1:06.45; 17. Robinson 1:15.19; 23. Vobr 1:19.89
400 free relay – 5. Bigalk, Hogan, Kuehner, Kutz, 3:34.81; 12. Hammel, Pattison, Roberts, Grant Zilka, 4:14.38
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