March 28, 2024

Cardinal swimmer Isaak Webb is state breaststroke champ

MARSHALLTOWN — Isaak Webb made history Saturday afternoon with a flawless run through the waters at the Marshalltown YMCA-YWCA swimming pool. Webb wrote his final chapter in the Newton Cardinal Swimming record book with his best race, which came at the right time and right place.

“I can’t pinpoint anything of the race I could have done better,” Webb said following winning a state championship in the 100-yard breaststroke at Saturday’s 2016 Iowa High School Boys’ State Swimming Championships. “It was perfect for me.”

Webb claimed the first state swim championship for the Newton boys since 1938 as he lowered his team record in the breaststroke in 56.45 seconds. He had lowered the team mark a week ago at the district meet to 57.80 seconds.

“I was very nervous with a bad case of shakes while I standing behind the blocks,” Webb said. “I didn’t know how things were going to go, but as soon as I got set, everything went really smooth.”

Webb smoothly broke out a 26.17-second first 25 yards, just ahead of Paul Hummell of Cedar Rapids Jefferson, who was in the lane to his left at 26.24. Webb stayed in front with Hummell, Cedar Rapids Kennedy’s Stefan Kitsos and Sean Johnson of Hempstead right behind him.

Webb made his final turn and “took over the race,” Newton head coach Dave Hook said. “That was a perfect race by Isaak.”

It was Webb’s first and only state high school championship. His second 50-yard split was 30.28 seconds. Kitsos was second with a second split of 31.05 seconds for a final 58.74 seconds.

Webb, a senior at Pella Community High School, concluded his third year of competing on the Newton Cardinal team as he wanted. His state title winning time made put him in consideration for All-America status.

Newton's first state swim championship was in the second year of the state sanctioned meet. Jack Nichols won the 1938 100-yard backstroke title in 1 minute, 15.9 seconds. There were six teams in the state meet and Newton was fourth with seven points.

Webb earned two state medals Saturday, taking third in the 100 butterfly. Webb had finished second in the butterfly at the 2015 state swim meet. Saturday, he lowered the team record, which was his, to 50.46 seconds.

Fellow Pella senior Aaron King turned in a personal-best 54.01 seconds in his heat of the 100 butterfly, finish 19th overall. King and sophomore Lucas Warner, who is also from Pella, competed side-by-side in the 50 freestyle. Both recorded personal-bests with Warner is 21st and King in 22nd in 22.19 and 22.20.

Warner finished 22nd in the 100 freestyle in 49.56 seconds.

In the opening event of the state meet, the foursome of Warner, Webb, King and Newton junior Logan Heisdorffer posted a season’s best time of 1:39.51 seconds for 12th in the 200 medley relay. The 200 freestyle relay team of Webb, King, Newton sophomore Jacob Knoll and Warner placed 18th in 1:29.31.

Newton finished 16th as a team with 46 points. Waukee won the team championship with 244 points.

Read Monday’s Newton Daily News for more on the Cardinals at the state swim meet.