NCMP swims to third at Marshalltown Bobcat Relays

MARSHALLTOWN — A single victory and six top-three finishes guided the Newton-Colfax-Mingo-Pella boys’ swim team to a third place team finish on Saturday.

In a meet designed to be all relays, Finn Martin and Caleb Punt teamed up for the Cardinals’ lone win as NCMP scored 54 points at the Marshalltown Bobcat Swimming Relays.

Host Marshalltown scored 79 points to win the team title by four points over Cedar Rapids Kennedy (75). NCMP scored 54 points in third followed by Spencer (44) and Atlantic (33).

Martin was part of the Cardinals’ only win and all three runner-up finishes.

He teamed up with Punt to win the 2x50 freestyle relay in 45.85 seconds and joined MacK Copeland to place second in the 2x500 freestyle relay in 11 minutes, 3.89 seconds.

NCMP was second in both the 200 freestyle and 400 freestyle relays.

The 200 freestyle relay included Martin, Ethan Comer, Cody Klein and Copeland and they finished in 1:38.87.

Copeland, Mason Gaulke, Punt and Martin joined forces to place second in the 400 freestyle relay. That foursome posted a time of 3:39.33.

The duo of Klein and Punt were third in the 2x100 freestyle relay, and they finished the race in 2:00.56.

Comer and Gaulke took third in the 2x100 breaststroke. They hit the wall in 2:25.95.