Martin leads NCMP to second at Wahawk Invitational

WATERLOO — Finn Martin won a pair of individual events and led off the winning 200-yard freestyle relay and the Newton-Colfax-Mingo-Pella boys swim team placed second at the Wahawk Invitational on Saturday.

The Cardinals scored 324 points in second and trailed Decorah at the top by eight points. Waterloo (261), Spencer (245) and Vinton-Shellsburg (35) completed the field.

Martin won the 200 freestyle and the 100 butterfly, and NCMP combined for eight second- and third-place finishes.

The winning 200 freestyle relay featured Martin, Ethan Comer, MacK Copeland and Evan Marshall. They finished the race in a season-best 1 minute, 31.72 seconds, which ranks 14th in the state.

The Cardinals also were second in the 200 medley relay with Drew Fuller, Comer, Martin and Copeland. That group finished in 1:46.96, which is a top 30 time statewide. NCMP’s best time this season ranks 21st.

NCMP took third in the 400 freestyle relay. The foursome of Marshall, Caleb Punt, Hudson Meyer and Fuller finished in 3:40.05.

Martin won the 200 freestyle in 1:46.55, which ranks eighth in the state. Marshall (2:11.56) was fourth and Blaine Brooks (2:21.29) placed ninth.

In the 100 butterfly, Martin won the race in 51.7 seconds, which ranks seventh in Iowa. Comer was fifth in 1:02.46 and Derek Wermager finished 10th in 1:16.42.

NCMP grabbed individual runner-up finishes in the 100 freestyle, 500 freestyle and 100 breaststroke.

In the 100 freestyle, Copeland was second in 53.75, Fuller took fifth in 55.33 and Marshall placed eighth in 56.87. Waterloo’s Nate Kline won the race in 51.78.

Punt finished second in the 500 freestyle in 5:44.89. Brooks placed fifth in 6:26.39 and Trace McClellan was sixth in 6:36.3.

Comer grabbed runner-up honors in the 100 breaststroke. He was clocked in 1:04.74, but Waterloo’s Dylan Ramsey won the race in 1:04.71. NCMP’s Heath Anderson placed 10th in 1:18.42.

In the 100 backstroke, Fuller (1:04.05) and Meyer (1:04.18) finished 3-4. Meyer (2:24.96) and Copeland (2:25.62) were 3-4 in the 200 individual medley. Kaden Marshall placed ninth in the 200 IM with a time of 2:44.11.

Punt also placed third in the 50 freestyle. He was clocked in 24.16 seconds.

Notes: Martin currently leads the state in the 50 freestyle (20.91) and ranks second in the 100 freestyle (46.63).