A dominating effort kept the Park Rapids boys swimming and diving team undefeated in dual meets this season.
The Panthers took first in the first nine events, going 1-2-3 in five of them and 1-2 in two others before swimming exhibition in a 108-53 Mid-State Conference victory over Perham Thursday night at the Area High School pool.
Marcus Benson, Seth Breitweser, Matthew Benson and Spencer Fritze opened the meet by winning the 200-yard medley relay in 1:53.21.
A pair of 1-2-3 finishes followed as Casimir Simonson (in 2:06.91), Jack Bateman (in 2:12.82) and James Utke (in 2:13.37) swept the 200 freestyle before Spencer Fritze (in 2:26.62), Sam Eystad (in 2:32.21) and Zach Fritze (in 2:37.13) led the field in the 200 individual medley.
After Behrens won the 50 freestyle in 24.55, the Panthers went 1-2-3 in the next two events with Spencer Fritze (with 267.15 points), Breitweser (with 193.65 points) and Jack Christenson (with 135.45 points) taking the top spots in diving and Matthew Benson (in 59.81), Marcus Benson (in 1:05.37) and Utke (in 1:07.09) leading the way in the 100 butterfly.
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A 1-2 showing by Behrens (in 54.16) and Zach Fritze (in 57.36) in the 100 freestyle was followed by a 1-2-3 sweep in the 500 freestyle behind Eystad (in 5:53.84), Simonson (in 6:03.59) and Thomas Williams (in 6:23.70).
The Panthers also went 1-2 in the 200 freestyle relay as Matthew Benson, Spencer Fritze, Steven Wattenhofer and Simonson teamed up for a winning time of 1:49.08 while Tim Walsh, Bateman, Jack Walsh and Utke followed in 1:50.57.
Park Rapids swam exhibition in the final three events. Marcus Benson (in 1:02.67), Tim Walsh (in 1:08.92) and Breitweser (in 1:15.65) would have gone 1-2-3 in the 100 backstroke while Matthew Benson (in 1:14.74) and Bateman (in 1:20.71) would have finished 1-2 in the 100 breaststroke. The Panthers also would have finished 1-2 in the 400 freestyle relay behind the 4:07.79 of Behrens, Breitweser, Christenson and Eystad and the 4:09.68 by Marcus Benson, Utke, Williams and Tim Walsh.
"We've been training hard, but I was still a little nervous we'd be a little sluggish since we haven't had a meet since Dec. 20," said Park Rapids head coach Todd Fritze, whose team improved to 3-0 in dual meets. "We swam really well. We're where we want to be at this point of the season."
Park Rapids 108, Perham 53
200 medley relay: 1, Park Rapids (Mar. Benson, Breitweser, Mat. Benson, S. Fritze), 1:53.21. 2, Perham, 2:10.41. 3, Park Rapids (T. Walsh, Christenson, Behrens, Wattenhofer), 2:11.69. 4, Park Rapids (Z. Fritze, Zinniel, Eystad, J. Walsh), 2:16.71. JV: Park Rapids (Williams, Hemenway, Backmann, Nichols), 2:21.51.
200 freestyle: 1, Simonson, PR, 2:06.91. 2, Bateman, PR, 2:12.82. 3, Utke, PR, 2:13.37. 4, D. Skorup, P, 2:24.31. 5, H. Ditterich, P, 2:29.01. JV: Zinniel, PR, 3:00.44.
200 individual medley: 1, S. Fritze, PR, 2:26.62. 2, Eystad, PR, 2:32.21. 3, Z. Fritze, PR, 2:37.13. 4, M. Skorup, P, 2:48.53. 5, Kehoe, P, 2:53.11. JV: Williams, PR, 2:33.47; Hemenway, PR, 3:14.59.
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50 freestyle: 1, Behrens, PR, 24.55. 2, Wegscheid, P, 26.19. 3, J. Walsh, PR, 29.25. 4, Karels, P, 29.60. 5, C. Ditterich, P, 32.29. 6, Wattenhofer, PR, 38.94. JV: Nichols, PR, 31.63; Cempa, PR, 37.05.
Diving: 1, S. Fritze, PR, 267.15 points. 2, Breitweser, PR, 193.65. 3, Christenson, PR, 135.45.
100 butterfly: 1, Mat. Benson, PR, 59.81. 2, Mar. Benson, PR, 1:05.37. 3, Utke, PR, 1:07.09. 4, Cummings, P, 1:18.53. 5, Kehoe, P, 1:24.82.
100 freestyle: 1, Behrens, PR, 54.16. 2, Z. Fritze, PR, 57.36. 3, Wegscheid, P, 57.47. 4, J. Walsh, PR, 1:05.05. 5, H. Ditterich, P, 1:06.46. JV: Zinniel, PR, 1:21.83; Cempa, PR, 1:27.32.
500 freestyle: 1, Eystad, PR, 5:53.84. 2, Simonson, PR, 6:03.59. 3, Williams, PR, 6:23.70. 4, Karels, P, 7:06.54. 5, C. Ditterich, P, 8:10.33.
200 freestyle relay: 1, Park Rapids (Mat. Benson, S. Fritze, Wattenhofer, Simonson), 1:49.08. 2, Park Rapids (T. Walsh, Bateman, J. Walsh, Utke), 1:50.57. 3, Perham, 1:53.86. JV: Park Rapids (Backmann, Nichols, Cempa, Zinniel), 2:14.44.
100 backstroke: 1, M. Skorup, P, 1:25.07. Exhibition: Mar. Benson, PR, 1:02.67; T. Walsh, PR, 1:08.92; Breitweser, PR, 1:15.65. JV: Backmann, PR, 1:27.50.
100 breaststroke: 1, D. Skorup, P, 1:21.77. 2, Cummings, P, 1:35.08. Exhibition: Mat. Benson, PR, 1:14.74; Bateman, PR, 1:20.71; Christenson, PR, 1:23.01. JV: Hemenway, PR, 1:29.88.
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400 freestyle relay: 1, Perham, 4:32.70. Exhibition: Park Rapids (Behrens, Breitweser, Christenson, Eystad), 4:07.79; Park Rapids (Mar. Benson, Utke, Williams, T. Walsh), 4:09.68; Park Rapids (Simonson, Z. Fritze, Wattenhofer, Bateman), 4:23.27. JV: Park Rapids (Nichols, Cempa, Hemenway, Backmann), 5:24.52.
