The Ankeny boys’ swimming team qualified for the state meet in nine events with a strong performance in a district meet on Saturday at Mason City.
Tenth-ranked Ankeny placed second in the eight-team field with 433 points. No. 7 Valley captured the team title with 458.
“We had a great day at the pool,” said Ankeny coach Dustin Rhoads, who along with his assistants were named the District Coaching Staff of the Year. “All of our guys swam at least one lifetime best time, which was awesome. We lost a close team race to a strong Valley team, but I was really proud of the boys’ efforts. They worked hard all season and swam their best when they had to.”
The Tigers won eight of the 11 events, including all three relays. Ankeny was the runner-up in each of the relays, advancing to state in all of them.
Rhoads’ team got a pair of victories from senior Bryer Pearson. He won the 100 butterfly in 50.06 seconds, then later took the 100 backstroke in 54.12.
Pearson posted the state’s second-fastest time in the butterfly. Only Parker Macho of Linn-Mar (Marion) posted a faster time, turning in a clocking of 47.84 in the district meet at Linn-Mar.
“I was definitely happy with both of my times as both were lifetime bests for me,” said Pearson. “I absolutely think that I can drop time at state. I was only around 80 percent at the district meet, and I expect to be able to go even faster next week at state.”
Ankeny also got a win from senior Noah Kearney in the 200 individual medley. He won the event in 1:59.20, posting the state’s seventh-fastest time.
Kearney also qualified for state in the backstroke. He took third in that event in 54.69.
“I am quite happy with the times that I swam, and I’m hoping I can drop a few more seconds off in my IM at state,” said Kearney. “And with a little bit more work on my back, I can shave a few more seconds off that time too!”
Ankeny’s Jake Smith, Sam Howard and Jack Walsh also qualified for state in a pair of individual events.
Smith placed fourth in the 200 freestyle in 1:46.77. The sophomore then took third in the 500 freestyle, where he posted the state’s ninth-fastest time of 4:49.68.
Howard finished seventh in the 200 freestyle in 1:49.62. The senior later placed fourth in the butterfly in 54.61.
Walsh finished right behind Howard in the butterfly, taking fifth in 54.62. The sophomore earlier placed second behind Kearney in the 200 IM, posting a time of 2:00.29.
Ankeny had three qualifiers in the butterfly as well as two other events. Wilson Pous-Ojeda placed sixth in the 200 freestyle in 1:48.60, while Landon Wisehart qualified in the 200 IM by placing fifth in 2:06.44.
Miles Harbert and Brant Schumacher are Ankeny’s other individual qualifiers. Harbert placed fifth in the 100 freestyle in 48.87, while Schumacher took sixth in the 500 freestyle in 5:05.14.
Ankeny posted a time of 1:39.37 in the 200 medley relay. That team consisted of Kearney, Wisehart, Pearson and Harbert.
Pearson and Kearney then teamed up with Smith and Ike Evans in the 200 freestyle relay. That squad was clocked in 1:29.89.
Ankeny later ended the meet by posting a time of 3:18.69 in the 400 freestyle relay. That unit was comprised of Smith, Harbert, Pous-Ojeda and Howard.
“We have 11 guys going on to swim at state,” Rhoads said. “I am excited to work with this group to try and help them swim even faster next week! It is going to be a lot of fun!”
Logan Shwery also qualified for state in the 50 freestyle paralympic event. He posted a time of 58.45 seconds.
The state meet will be held at the University of Iowa’s Campus Recreation & Wellness Center in Iowa City, beginning with the preliminaries on Friday at 5 p.m. The finals will be held on Saturday at noon.
