Job well done; Viking swimmers compete at state

By Becky Walz,

Monday, February 13, 2023 4:49 pm

The Decorah boys swimmers who competed at the state meet ended the season with a bang Saturday in Iowa City. The team sent four events to the big meet, with all four improving on their times from districts.
Waukee won the team title with 304 points.

   The Decorah boys swimmers who competed at the state meet ended the season with a bang Saturday in Iowa City. The team sent four events to the big meet, with all four improving on their times from districts.
  Waukee won the team title with 304 points.

Wonderful day
   Decorah had all three relays and one individual event swim at state.
   The first event to compete was the 200-yard medley relay. Isaac Knaack, Mason Cote, Simon Kutz and Dylan Hogan comprised the relay. They were seeded 17th, with a time of 1:41.97. The quartet cut 0.03 seconds off that time to finish 17th in 1:41.94. Ames won the event in 1:33.24.
   Competing individually, Knaack had a great swim in the 100-yard freestyle. The junior improved his time from districts by 0.16 seconds to finish 25th in 49.11 seconds, a new lifetime best swim. He was seeded 24th in 49.27 seconds. The winning time was 45.19 seconds, set by John Weigel of Iowa City City High.
   The 200-yard freestyle relay of Knaack, Hogan, John Starrett and Kutz also took the water. Coming into the meet, the Vikings were seeded 20th with a time 1:31.51. They ended the season 13th with a new school record time of 1:29.68. Waukee won the event in 1:23.17.
   Knaack, Dom Bigalk, James Vander Velden and Kutz jumped in the pool for the final event, the 400-yard freestyle relay. The quartet had a blazing time of 3:21.26, taking 18th overall. There district time was 3:24.59 had them seeded 21st entering the big meet. Waukee won in 3:05.75.

Thanks seniors!
   Decorah will still have a solid squad despite the upcoming graduation of several state swimmers. Among those graduating from the team will be Quinn Baumann, Adam Jones, John Starrett, Gareth Sweet and James Vander Velden.

State swim team scores
(top 10 plus Decorah)
1. Waukee 304; 2. West Des Moines Valley 214; 3. Ames 176; 4. Ankeny 160; 5. Pleasant Valley 159; 6. Linn-Mar 160; 7. Bettendorf 150.5; 8. Iowa City West 136; 9. Cedar Falls 127; 10. Iowa City City High 126.5; 24. Decorah 7

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