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Emery moves to top of state’s butterfly list

Dodger senior breaks Leigh’s school record

Messenger photo by Britt Kudla Mitchell Emery of Fort Dodge reacts after breaking the school's 100 butterfly record on Saturday in the Dodger pool. For more photos, please visit CU.messengernews.net

Mitchell Emery has been zoned in on one school record in particular all year.

Now that he has it, he wants to keep chasing it.

At Saturday’s CIML Iowa Conference meet, the Fort Dodge senior finally brought down the program’s 100 butterfly mark. Emery swam a blistering 51.58, surpassing Rob Leigh’s 2015 time of 51.69. The mark currently ranks No. 1 in the state for the event.

“Going in, I was feeling the pressure of (trying to best Leigh’s record),” Emery said. “Now, I want that pressure back. I want to keep chasing the record, and have that pressure to be able to keep pushing myself.

“It was nice to be able to do it home.”

Emery cruised past the field, besting Johnston’s Grant Fuhr (53.82) by more than two full seconds.

The win in the 100 was paired with Emery’s runner-up showing in the 50 freestyle. The Dodger senior touched the wall in 22.24, just behind Fuhr (51.82). Emery topped his seed time (22.26) by two-one hundreths of a second.

“Mitch has been consistent all season long,” said Fort Dodge head coach Joel Greathouse. “It wasn’t a question of if he was going to get the record, but when.

“It was outstanding to see him with that fast of a time, considering how hard we have been swimming.”

Fort Dodge (339 points), which is currently 12th in the state’s power rankings, had a strong day overall, finishing third behind No. 2 Dowling (458) and No. 4 Johnston (426). Mason City (261) was fourth and Marshalltown (234) fifth.

“Nobody was going to catch Dowling or Johnston — they’re just too deep,” Greathouse said. “This is a true test of some tough swimmers — lot of which that will be competing for titles at the state meet.”

The Dodgers finished in the top-four of eight of nine individual events. They were third in two relays, and fourth in one.

“Everyone was as consistent as ever,” Greathouse said. “Our whole goal was to stay right on our seed times.”

Junior Andrew Fierke finished third in the 500 freestyle (5:03.36), and senior Cole Davis earned bronze in the 200 individual medley (2:06.86). Davis was also fourth in the 100 breaststroke (1:06.10).

Sophomore Cole Pearson had two fourth-place performances — a 1:51.60 in the 200 freestyle, and a 57.98 in the 100 backstroke.

Senior Trent Woodhouse recorded a fourth-place showing in the 100 butterfly (58.35), and a fifth in the 50 freestyle (23.35).

The Dodger 200 freestyle relay team of Emery, Woodhouse, junior Landon Getting and Pearson touched in third (1:31.15). Emery, Davis, Getting and Pearson combined for bronze in the 400 freestyle (3:22.62).

The 200 medley quartet of Davis, junior Eli Asay, Woodhouse and senior Shane Greve were fourth (1:48.92).

The Dodgers are back in action on Feb. 4, when they’ll host the district swim meet in the Dodger pool. Action will begin at noon.

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