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Fort Dodge captures all 11 events in victory over Rams

-Messenger photo by Britt Kudla Madigan Peimann of Fort Dodge compete in girls 200 yard Freestyle against Southeast Polk on Tuesday

Fort Dodge girls swim coach Ashley Beaumont typically spends very little time measuring her lineup’s performance against an opponent in a dual.

While the objective is still to win as often as possible, Beaumont is usually worried more about the progress of her own team first and foremost.

She made an exception on Tuesday.

“Our goal was to take all (11 swimming) events,” Beaumont said. “We haven’t done as well against Southeast Polk through the years, so we were hoping to perform up to our potential (last night) and get them all.”

The Dodgers did just that, sweeping through the individual gold medals en route to a 110-75 victory over the Rams in the FDSH pool.

Junior Madigan Peimann, junior Luanne Xiao, junior Elora Fierke and sophomore Grace Hartley were all double winners for the Dodgers, who improved their dual record to 5-2. Peimann took the 200 freestyle relay (2:00.70) and the 50 free relay (25.99). Xiao prevailed in the 100 butterfly (1:05.64) and the 100 backstroke (1:01.83).

Fierke turned in the fastest times in the 100 freestyle (58.86) and the 100 breaststroke (1:12.72). Hartley was first in the 200 individual medley (2:20.42) and 500 free relay (5:27.06).

Fort Dodge also clinched all three relay events as well. The 200 medley relay quartet of Xiao, Fierke, junior Morgan Border and sophomore Rylie Steinkamp won in 2:01.28. The 200 free relay team of Peimann, Fierke, Steinkamp and Hartley were victorious in 1:48.09.

The 400 free relay squad of Peimann, Hartley, Border and Xiao capped the meet with a 3:57.70 first-place effort.

“Our (top varsity swimmers) were great, but we also had some terrific performances through the rest of the lineup and in the JV (competition),” Beaumont said. “I was really proud of Emma (Johnston who won the 100 backstroke) and Maria (Elizondo, who took the 100 butterfly) and their time drops, and it was great to see Olivia (Anderson in the 500 free), Emily (Happel in the 200 freestyle) and Kylie (Crimmins in diving) come out on top.”

Steinkamp helped accrue varsity points as a runner-up in the 50 free (27.08) and the 100 butterfly (1:06.73). Border (100 and 200 free relay) and Alicia Reed (diving, 142.2 points) also secured silvers.

“The team has been putting in tough yards (in practice) and they’re pretty sore right now,” Beaumont said. “Obviously we’re wanting to hit our stride and be at our best for (the) conference (meet on Oct. 18) and regionals (Oct. 27), but it’s good to see us making steady progress. I like where we’re at right now.”

The Rams had beaten FDSH head-to-head most recently in both 2014 (114-69) and 2015 (118-65). The programs didn’t square off in duals during either of the last two seasons, but are now both CIML Iowa Conference members.

The Dodgers are off for a full week, returning to action on Tuesday at home against West Des Moines Valley. Fort Dodge is currently 15th in the latest state power rankings; the Tigers are ninth.

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