NCMP stays unbeaten, swims past Grinnell, Indianola

GRINNELL — The Newton-Colfax-Mingo-Pella girls swim team claimed eight victories during a triangular meet at Grinnell College on Thursday.

But that’s not the only reason the Aquagirls remained unbeaten.

NCMP showed off its depth with a 1-2-3 finish in the 100-yard backstroke and 1-2 finishes in the 200 individual medley, 100 freestyle and 100 breaststroke.

The Aquagirls also posted a 2-3-4 finish in the backstroke as NCMP swept a pair of conference foes.

NCMP downed Indianola 133-28 and defeated Grinnell/BGM/Baxter 112-71 despite the hosts grabbing the only diving points of the night.

“We are one of the deeper teams definitely in our conference but probably in the state, too,” NCMP head girls swim coach Nick Shelton said. “We just have so many girls who can go 2-3-4 in any event. That’s helping us win a lot of these meets.”

Harper Barton was part of four wins despite feeling under the weather and Peyton Ray, Addison Van Maanen and Tori White all grabbed three wins and one runner-up finish. Alex Riney was part of two victories and was second in another event.

The Aquagirls continue to shine in relays. They posted times in all three events that are fast enough to be ranked in the top 10 in the state.

The 200 medley relay team of White, Van Maanen, Izzy Lane and Riney won the race in 1 minute, 59.31 seconds.

NCMP also had the third and fourth best times overall and the squad was 1-2-3 against Indianola. Hailey Dickerson, Anna DeVries, Avery Meyer and Kimberlee Miller finished third in 2:10.08 and the team of Emalee Weuve, Alexa Van Maanen, Julia Nedder and Haylee White were not far behind in 2:10.16.

“We want to make sure we have the next girl up if someone can’t go,” Shelton said. “Harper was not feeling well. If she couldn’t go, who was the next one up? We preach that all the time. It could be any of them today so swim your best when you get the chance.”

The 200 freestyle relay went to the team of Ray, Riney, Paige Benson and Barton and they finished in 1:45.32. NCMP was 1-3-4 against both squads.

The team of DeVries, Meyer, Miller and Temple Barton finished fourth overall in 1:58.63 and Nedder, Peyton Phillips, Lillian Pifko and Haylee White were fifth in 2:04.59.

The 400 freestyle relay teams went 1-3-5. The winning team featured Ray, Tori White, Addison Van Maanen and Harper Barton and they finished in 3:53.48.

Benson, Lane, Dickerson and Riney were third in 4:08.07 and Temple Barton, Alexa Van Maanen, DeVries and Weuve were fifth in 4:17.66.

“I’m trying to mix them up as much as I can,” Shelton said. “I want to see what the times are for the girls on the ‘B’ relay because they are all really close. The 200 freestyle relay probably won’t change. It’s pretty set.”

Addison Van Maanen said the 400 freestyle relay ‘A’ team has not changed all season. But the swimmers who competed on the 200 medley relay on Thursday were different.

“We continue to keep dropping time so that’s always good. We also mesh really well on those,” Addison Van Maanen said.

The best individual event for NCMP was the 100 backstroke as Tori White (1:05.3), Dickerson (1:09.88) and Weuve (1:14.92) went 1-2-3 in the race.

Harper Barton also won two individual events. She was the 100 breaststroke winner in 1:11.38 and won the 100 freestyle in 55.51.

“Her commitment to the sport and her team is unmatched,” Shelton said about Barton competing under the weather. “She’s here to compete and she’s here to show what she can do. And I think she’s swimming with a little bit of a chip on her shoulder this year. I think that’s a good thing. It’s pushing her and helping her win races.”

Ray was 1 second back of Barton in the 100 freestyle as her 56.51 placed her second. Temple Barton also was fourth in 1:00.77.

Addison Van Maanen (1:14.01) was the runner-up in the 100 breaststroke, while DeVries (1:18.18) placed fourth.

Ray opened her night with a win in the 200 freestyle. She won the race in 2:05.08. Temple Barton (2:14.24) was third and Dickerson (2:21.21) placed fourth.

The final individual win came in the 200 IM where Addison Van Maanen won the race in 2:25.23. Miller was the runner-up in 2:44.91.

“I’ve been feeling strong in the 200 IM. I have some things to work on, but It felt pretty good,” Addison Van Maanen said. “I felt OK in the breaststroke. It definitely wasn’t my best performance, but I think it might be up and down throughout the year. I just have to take it as it comes.

“I need to work on my turns and I need a faster pull out. I’m going too deep on my pull out. I’m gliding to the surface instead of being right at the surface to start.”

In the 100 butterfly, Tori White (1:05.69), Lane (1:09.96) and Benson (1:12.27) finished 2-3-4 overall. Nedder posted a time of 1:10.43 in the event but only three swimmers can score varsity points.

Riney (26.69) and Benson (27.8) were 2-3 in the 50 freestyle. Grinnell’s Josie Smith won both the 50 freestyle (26.13) and 100 butterfly (1:03.28).

In the 500 freestyle, Weuve (6:19.97) and Meyer (6:20.03) were 2-3 overall and 1-2 against Indianola.

Grinnell’s Kyliee Zylstra won the race in 5:36.19, which broke the school’s longest standing record that dated back to 1978.

Grinnell/BGM/Baxter went 1-2-3 in 1-meter diving. Baxter junior Camryn Russell won the six-dive event with a career-best score of 273.2. Baxter’s Ivy Whitacre scored 140.9 in JV competition.

Notes: The NCMP junior varsity competed against itself mostly. The Aquagirls JV did go 1-2-3 in the 50 freestyle with Nedder, Meyer and Haylee White. Phillips (100/200 freestyle) and Alexa Van Maanen (200 IM/100 breaststroke) won two individual events, while Veronica Mark (100 backstroke) also won an event. Mark and Madison Scott were part of all three JV winning relays and Pifko and Amiya Amos were on two winning relay teams.