Lions pushing the big boys

MARION -When the Linn-Mar Aquatic Center was unveiled in the fall of 2013, it was widely hailed as the finest high school swimming facility in the state.

No longer competing for practice time at the Coe College Natatorium, Linn-Mar hoped the pool would attract more varsity swimmers and better use their time once they arrived.

In its first full season on campus, the Linn-Mar girls' team jumped from 17th in 2013 to fifth in November's state meet. Now it appears the boys' team may be on a similar trajectory.

The Lions scored 226 points and pushed defending state champion Iowa City West and Wisconsin power Monona Grove for a third-place finish Saturday at the inaugural Linn-Mar Invitational.

'We have guys that want it,” Linn-Mar Coach Tom Belin said. 'They want to get better.”

The Lions, who finished 17th at last year's state meet, are 4-0-1 in Mississippi Valley Conference duals and won invitationals at Grinnell and Clinton. The Lions were led Saturday by senior Calvin Greve, who inched closer to the Linn-Mar 100-yard backstroke record of 51.22 seconds with a victory in 52.62 seconds, a season-best time.

'It was nice,” said Greve, who placed second in the 200-yard individual medley. 'I'm inching, inching closer. It wasn't just me that had a great swim; a lot of the guys had great swims.”

Seniors Justin Arebaugh and Zach Hendricks and freshman Matt Peng teamed with anchor Greve for a runner-up finish in the 400-yard freestyle relay. Arebaugh and Peng placed 3-4 in the 50-yard freestyle, and Peng posted a season-best 54.06 for second place in the 100-yard butterfly.

'When I came into the team, I thought it was going to be like last year,” said Peng, who ranks in the state's top 10 in the 50 free and 200 IM. 'A lot of things changed. Changing in coaching styles and we've gotten new things, new facility. That's probably the biggest one. More people wanted to come swim.”

Monona Grove, the Wisconsin Division II state champion in 2013, narrowly edged defending Iowa state champion Iowa City West for first, 279 to 277. West won all but one event, led by juniors Mark McGlaughlin and Aidan Keen, who each won twice plus two relays. Keen eclipsed the state's season-best time in the 500-yard freestyle in 4:40.82. Junior Will Scott helped the Trojans win all three relays.

'When it comes to the relays,” Scott said. 'I think the number one thing is just trusting that guy in the water to finish to the wall so you can just rely and jump away.”

LINN-MAR INVITATIONAL

At Linn-Mar Aquatic Center

Teams – 1. Monona Grove (Wis.) 279, 2. Iowa City West 277, 3. Linn-Mar 262, 4. Pleasant Valley 249, 5. Austin (Minn.) 164, 6. Clinton 71.

200 medley relay – 1. Iowa City West (Mark McGlaughlin, Matt Anderson, Oliver Martin, Will Scott), 1:37.01; 2. Monona Grove (Ben McDade, Eric Storms, Darian Hahn, Alex Kimmell), 1:43.12; 3. Linn-Mar (Calvin Greve, Jonathan Tripp, Zach Hendricks, Matthew Mather), 1:43.69. 200 free – 1. Aidan Keen (ICW), 1:43.56; 2. Jack Stecker (PV), 1:48.23; 3. Craig Heimark (A), 1:49.95. 200 individual medley – 1. Nick Staver (PV), 1:56.29; 2. Greve (LM), 2:01.60; 3. McDade (MG), 2:03.24. 50 free – 1. McGlaughlin (ICW), 21.12; Martin (ICW), 21.97; 3. Justin Arebaugh (LM), 22.10. 100 butterfly – 1. Martin (ICW), 53.59; 2. Matt Peng (LM), 54.06; 3. Josh Hill (C), 54.74. 100 free – 1. McGlaughlin (ICW), 46.48; 2. Scott (ICW), 48.04; 3. Arebaugh (LM), 49.60. 500 free – 1. Keen (ICW), 4:40.82; 2. McDade (MG), 4:46.00; 3. Stecker (PV), 4:57.58. 200 free relay – 1. Iowa City West (Noah Bruns, Scott, Anderson, Keen), 1:29.50; 2. Monona Grove (Kimmell, Erik Doll, Shane Sackett, Lars Doll), 1:31.05; 3. Pleasant Valley (Henry Friederichs, Nick Staver, Alex Davis, Stecker), 1:31.46. 100 backstroke – 1. Greve (LM), 52.62; 2. E.Doll (MG), 57.90; 3. Nick Kontos (PV), 1:00.09. 100 breaststroke – 1. Staver (PV), 58.67; 2. Anderson (ICW), 1:01.64; 3. Storms (MG), 1:04.87. 400 free relay – 1. Iowa City West (Martin, Keen, Scott, McGlaughlin), 3:07.49; 2. Linn-Mar (Arebaugh, Peng, Hendricks, Greve), 3:19.33; 3. Monona Grove (Kimmell, E.Doll, McDade, L.Doll), 3:19.47.

l Comments: douglas.miles@thegazette.com