NCMP claims another LHC championship

INDIANOLA — The Newton-Colfax-Mingo-Pella girls’ swim team registered eight wins, finished 1-2 in six of them and cruised to the Little Hawkeye Conference championship on Tuesday.

The Aquagirls dominated their competition with 378 points. It’s NCMP’s sixth LHC title in seven years.

“It was a great night with the athletes sporting their tattoos and the seniors swimming their last conference meet,” NCMP head girls swim coach Sarah Patterson said. “I’m so proud of their leadership and the effort from all of the girls.”

For the first time in three years, the LHC runner-up was not Indianola. Grinnell/BGM/Baxter edged the Indians in second with 260 points. Indianola (241) finished third and Oskaloosa (143) completed the four-team field.

Lillie Ray and Harper Barton were part of four wins to lead the way and Maylei Ruggles, Peyton Ray, Alex Riney and Addison Van Maanen all contributed two victories.

The Aquagirls won all three relays, finished 1-2 in the 200-yard medley relay and were 1-2-3 in the 100 backstroke.

The 200 medley relay opened the night and the winning team featured Tori White, Barton, Lillie Ray and Van Maanen and the runner-up foursome included Riney, Estella Allen, Izzy Lane and Paige Benson.

“There aren’t too many schools our size that have two medley relays that can drop times like these girls did,” Patterson said.

Some times were not available at press time as the meet did not make electronic results available to the coaching staffs.

The Aquagirls finished the night with a bang, too. In the 400 freestyle relay, the team of Peyton Ray, Ruggles, Riney and Lillie Ray won the race and the squad of Evelyn Munk, Benson, White and Van Maanen placed third.

Barton, Ruggles, Peyton Ray and Lillie Ray won the 200 freestyle relay in a season-best time of 1 minute, 44.01 seconds.

Individually, NCMP finished 1-2 in the 200 individual medley, 50 freestyle, 100 freestyle, 100 backstroke and 100 breaststroke.

In the 200 IM, Van Maanen was the winner in 2:27.35 and Benson finished second in a personal-record time of 2:32.83.

“(Addison) has just kept improving and is finally starting to see just how good she can be,” Patterson said. “Shout out to Lauryn Garrett, who would have placed third, but she was a non-scoring swimmer.”

Barton (26.64) and Ruggles (26.72) placed first and second, respectively, in the 50 freestyle and Skyler Gooden (28.32) placed fifth.

Lillie Ray’s fourth win came in the 100 freestyle and she won the race in 56.04. Riney (57.16) took second and Peyton Ray (57.71) placed fourth.

In the 100 backstroke, Riney was the winner in 1:05.6. She edged White, who was second in 1:05.81. Van Maanen placed third in 1:07.54.

Barton’s fourth victory came in the 100 breaststroke and her winning time was clocked in 1:10.1. Allen placed second in a personal-record 1:15.6 and Brooke Linahon ended up fifth.

“Brooke Linahon, who still is starting in the water due to a broken thumb, is almost even-splitting her 50s, which is crazy,” Patterson said. “These girls have worked super hard on their stroke and technique all season.”

Peyton Ray (2:05.15) and Anna DeVries (2:16.7) both turned in personal-best times in the 200 freestyle and they placed second and fourth, respectively.

“We talked about a game plan before the meet, and (Peyton) executed it perfectly,” Patterson said. “It was fun to see her swim well because she’s one of the hardest workers on the team.”

Lane also grabbed an individual runner-up finish. She was second in the 100 butterfly with a personal-best time of 1:07.13.

“She has worked so hard in this event,” Patterson said. “She just went out after it and had a great swim. I’m so proud of her.”