April 29, 2024

NCMP boys end season at district meet

Eekhoff leads Cardinals at Summit Middle School

By Troy Hyde

NCMP junior Brady Comer swims in the breaststroke leg of the 200-yard medley relay at the district meet at Summit Middle School in Johnston on Saturday. Comer finished 14th in the 100 breaststroke. (Troy Hyde/Newton News)

JOHNSTON — The Newton-Colfax-Mingo-Pella boys swim team had all 10 of its swimmers for the second time this season during a district state qualifying meet on Saturday.

But the Cardinals couldn’t overcome a tough field at Summit Middle School.

The top six finishers earned medals and podium recognition. The top individual finisher for the Cardinals was Eli Eekhoff, who was seventh in the 50-yard freestyle.

Two NCMP relays also placed seventh, but the Cardinals did not qualify for the state meet. They did record 13 personal- or season-best times.

“We did well for our size, especially these last two weeks,” NCMP head coach Steve Jones said. “I’m proud of these boys.”

Defending state champion and top-ranked Waukee won the district title with 495 points.

Ninth-ranked Johnston (402) was second followed by No. 16 Indianola (264), No. 18 Des Moines Roosevelt (257), No. 25 Ottumwa (190) and No. 33 Atlantic (133).

No. 37-ranked NCMP was seventh with 113 points. Des Moines East, which is ranked 44th, was eighth with 94 points.

NCMP's Mack Copeland swims in the 200-yard freestyle during the district meet in Johnston on Saturday. Copeland finished 15th in the event and helped the Cardinals take seventh in both freestyle relays. (Troy Hyde/Newton News)

Eekhoff’s seventh-place time in the 50 freestyle was clocked at 23.36 seconds. He swam a personal-best 51.38 in the 100 freestyle and placed ninth.

The other top individual was Clay Lamb, who finished 12th in both the 200 freestyle and 100 butterfly. Lamb swam a personal-best 59.77 in the fly and finished the 200 freestyle in 2 minutes, 3.89 seconds.

Mack Copeland was 15th in the 200 free with a time of 2:10.75.

Jonah Brown had a career day for the Cardinals, too. He was 13th in the 200 individual medley with a personal-best best 2:26.86.

“Jonah Brown had four PRs today,” Jones said. “I put him in as an alternate in the 400 freestyle relay and he swam under a minute for the first time. He swam in four tough events and had four PRs.”

The 400 freestyle relay included Eekhoff, Copeland, Lamb and Brown and they finished seventh in a season-best 3:45.82.

Brown replaced Brady Comer, who had been out with an illness most of last week.

The 200 freestyle relay team of Eekhoff, Comer, Lamb and Copeland took seventh in a season-best 1:40.61.

Comer competed in the 100 breaststroke and was 14th in 1:10.31.

NCMP's Will Mills swims in the 200-yard IM at the district meet in Johnston on Saturday. (Troy Hyde/Newton News)