Grinnell – BGM Boys’ Swim Team breaks school medley relay team record set in 2010

     Members of the Grinnell – BGM Boys’ 200 and 400 Free Relay Teams finished the district meet with excellent times. The teams consists of the same swimmers. The 400 Free Relay Team finished with a time of 3:22.96, good enough for 21st in the state. The 200 Free Relay Team finished with a time of 1:31.53, which was the 20th fastest time in the state. Pictured are, from left: Alex Smith, Brody Petig, Justin Durr and Blake Wilson.

By Travis Smith
     The Grinnell – BGM Boys’ Swim Team had a great district meet performance on Saturday, Feb. 5 at Southeast Polk High School. 
    The Medley Relay team of Kayden Heishman, Justin Durr, Blake Wilson, and Alex Smith started the meet with a new school record! The new time of 1:42.43 bested the previous record set by the 2010 team (Hueston Holder, Peter Crady, Jake O’Polka, and Taylor Beckwith-Ferguson) time of 1:42.60. The new record time qualified the Tigers for the state meet with the 21st fastest time (top 24 make state). 
    The 200 Free Relay team of Blake Wilson, Brody Petig, Justin Durr, and Alex Smith put together a great race finishing tied for fourth with Southeast Polk at 1:31.53. That time qualified the relay as the 20th fastest time in the state. 
     The 400 Free Relay, the same relay members as the 200 free relay, were great at finishing out the meet.
    “We had a sour taste in our mouth after DQing the 400 Free relay at conference,” said Travis Smith, GHS head swim coach. “We knew we had the speed in the water to do well so we emphasized safer exchanges to prevent any chance of an exchange DQ. The relay finished with a 3:22.96, good enough for 21st in the state.”
Other top performances
      Kayden Heishman had a fantastic final 100 Backstroke to cap off his career in the event. He dropped to a career-best time of 56.9. That time had him 35th in the state and only .30 seconds from qualifying for state in the event. 
     Justin Durr swam a career-best time in the 100 Fly with a 57.46. Little brother, Ian Durr, also swam a career-best in the event with a 1:04.21. 
    Chase Rundall and Peter Simpson had great 100 Freestyle performances dipping further below the one-minute mark.
     Jeff Sieck had two great swims in both the 500 Free and 100 Back. Both swims were career-best times.

     Members of the Grinnell – BGM Boys’ Medley Relay Swim Team broke a school record at the district swim meet on Saturday, Feb. 5 with a time of 1:42.43. The team broke a record set in 2010 by Hueston Holder, Peter Crady, Jake O’Polka and Taylor Beckwith- Ferguson. Pictured are, from left: Alex Smith, Justin Durr, Kaden Heishman and Blake Wilson. Photos submitted by Sarah Smith

     Grinnell Head Swimming Coach Travis Smith and assistant coach Jordan Huff look on during district swim competition at Southeast Polk High School on Saturday, Feb. 5.