By Chris Bennett
The Elkhorn Area High School boys swim team won three events and finished sixth Dec. 28 in a tough field at the Sauk Prairie Co-op Invitational at Sauk Prairie High School.
Three different swimmers won events at Sauk Prairie.
Hunter Johnson won the 200-yard freestyle in 1:46.93, which Elks coach Jamie Richardson said is a meet record.
Lucas Koepke won the 50 freestyle in 22 seconds. Richardson said it’s a personal best time by .17 seconds.
Willie Pinnow won the 500 freestyle in 4:54.94.
The Elks finished second in the 100 freestyle relay (44.15) with Alex Haacker, Johnson, Danny Bush and Koepke.
Johnson finished second in the 100 butterfly (53.46).
Pinnow finished third in the 100 backstroke (56.33) and Pinnow, Johnson, Ryan Daehn and Koepke finished fourth in the 200 medley relay (1:46.27).
Richardson praised the performance of Daehn. Daehn finished eighth in the 200 individual medley (2:23.79) and 11th in the 100 butterfly (1:02.88).
Daehn’s time in the 200 individual medley marked a personal best by more than five seconds.
“He just looked really strong,” Richardson said of Daehn’s performance in the 200 individual medley. “He’s kind of working on all the different legs of that race, and it’s all starting to come together for him.”
The Elks finished with 282 team points. Verona Area-Mount Horeb won the invite (566).
Strong swims at Bash
The Elks posted a number of strong performances Dec. 27 in the Boylan Bash at the Boylan Pool Complex in Rockford, Ill.
The Boylan Bash is divided by class. Swimmers must also compete in four of five events.
Johnson, a senior, won his class. He also did so as a junior. Koepke finished third and Pinnow fourth among seniors.
Johnson won the 100 butterfly (54.36), 50 freestyle (22.72), 100 breaststroke (1:03.76) and 100 freestyle (49.45).
Koepke finished second in the 100 freestyle (50.72) and 50 freestyle (22.78). Koepke also came in fourth in the 100 butterfly (57.80) and fifth in the 100 breaststroke (59.47).
Pinnow finished second in the 100 breaststroke (1:08.94) and 100 backstroke (57.92) and third in the 100 freestyle (50.80). Pinnow came in eighth in the 50 freestyle (23.61).
Jake Dahlgren finished eighth among sophomores, and earned praise from Richardson for his performances in the 100 butterfly and 100 backstroke.
The Elks swim Saturday in an invitational at Fort Atkinson High School.
Read more EAHS sports in the Independent.
