Bobcats Make Waves: Securing 2nd Place in Grinnell!

Charles Gilbertson

GRINNELL — The Marshalltown boys swimming squad is feeling the strain in their arms and legs.

Nevertheless, times are progressively improving, as the Bobcats secured victories in two events and achieved sufficient strong placements to claim second place at the six-team Grinnell Invitational held at Grinnell High School on Saturday.

Charlie Gilbertson triumphed in the 100-yard butterfly, finishing in 54.41, just one-hundredth of a second shy of his personal best in the event.

“We haven’t tapered down, nor rested him, so I’m thrilled for Charlie,” stated MHS head coach Mike Loupee. “He’s poised to excel if we can ensure he stays healthy.”

Lincoln Barker won gold in the 500 freestyle with a time of 5:13.42, which is under two seconds from his season best — part of a total of 36 season-best times and nine personal-best times achieved by MHS swimmers on Saturday, even with one senior, Isaac Seberger, absent due to illness in the varsity lineup.

“These athletes have competed in 12 races over five days and endured some quite rigorous practices in between,” Loupee noted. “When I asked them how they felt after today’s events, they said they felt as though they were swimming through mud. If they are indeed swimming in mud, it’s fast mud.”

The Bobcats recorded numerous top-three placements on Saturday — Jacob Seberger, Sam Greazel, Gilbertson, and Michael Lechnir finished second in the 200 medley relay, Greazel was also second in the 200 individual medley and placed third in the 100 breaststroke.

The 200 freestyle relay team consisting of Lechnir, Jacob Seberger, Kade Randall, and Barker claimed third, along with the 400 free relay team of Lechnir, Gilbertson, Barker, and Sam Greazel.

“Excellent finishes, fantastic competition, that’s what we aim for,” Loupee remarked. “Having this during this time of year will enhance our seed times for districts and hopefully motivate the team by seeing all their hard work bearing fruit. We still have a little more to accomplish before we rest, but I believe we are in a strong position over these last three to four weeks.”

The Bobcats are set to compete again against Des Moines East on Thursday.

Grinnell Invitational

Team Rankings — 1. Southeast Polk 457, 2. Marshalltown 436, 3. Ottumwa 403, 4. Indianola 301, 5. Muscatine 245, 6. Grinnell 213.

EVENT OUTCOMES

(Winners and MHS place finishers)

200 MEDLEY RELAY — 1. OTT (Miller, Gevock, Manary, Zimmeht), 1:42.65; 2. MHS (J. Seberger, S. Greazel, Gilbertson, Lechnir), 1:46.53; 7. MHS (L. Stanley, Christen, T. Stanley, Daters), 1:59.41.

200 FREESTYLE — 1. Desmond Ortega, SEP, 1:46.63; 4. Lincoln Barker, MHS, 1:55.35; 8. Aaron Hunter, MHS, 2:10.89; 9. Parker Christen, MHS, 2:12.09.

200 INDIVIDUAL MEDLEY — 1. Ashton Gevock, OTT, 2:02.17; 2. Sam Greazel, MHS, 2:12.13; 4. Kade Randall, MHS, 2:15.86; 7. Jacob Seberger, MHS, 2:18.71.

50 FREESTYLE — 1. Wyatt Sumner, GRN, 21.80; 10. Hayden Daters, MHS, 25.68; 11. Joe Greazel, MHS, 25.94; 15. Zander Stupp, MHS, 27.96.

100 BUTTERFLY — 1. Charles Gilbertson, MHS, 54.41; 13. J. Greazel, MHS, 1:11.05.

100 FREESTYLE — 1. Jonathan Miller, OTT, 48.36; 5. Michael Lechnir, MHS, 53.02; 6. Randall, 53.71; 10. Landon Stanley, MHS, 56.30.

500 FREESTYLE — 1. Barker, MHS, 5:13.42; 9. Thomas Stanley, MHS, 6:21.05.

200 FREESTYLE RELAY — 1. SEP (D. Ortega, Willier, Hammond, Z. Ortega), 1:34.40; 3. MHS (Lechnir, J. Seberger, Randall, Barker), 1:36.21; 6. MHS (Daters, J. Greazel, L. Stanley, Hunter), 1:44.18.

100 BACKSTROKE — 1. D. Ortega, SEP, 52.30; 4. Charles Gilbertson, MHS, 1:00.50; 6. Landon Stanley, MHS, 1:05.45; 8. Hunter, MHS, 1:08.21.

100 BREASTSTROKE — 1. Miller, OTT, 1:00.76; 3. S. Greazel, MHS, 1:06.07; 4. J. Seberger, MHS, 1:08.29; 7. Parker Christen, MHS, 1:17.78.

400 FREESTYLE RELAY — 1. OTT (Gevock, Zimmeht, Manary, Miller), 3:24.38; 3. MHS (Lechnir, Gilbertson, Barker, S. Greazel), 3:30.21; 7. MHS (Christen, Hunter, J. Greazel, Randall), 3:50.99.