Messenger photo by Britt Kudla: Fort Dodge's Aiden Seagren reacts to winning the 200 individual medley on Thursday in the Dodger pool. For more photos, please visit CU.messengernews.net

Over Christmas break, Fort Dodge swim coach Ashley Beaumont saw impressive progression in her Dodgers.

It’s been over a month since FDSH has been in the pool competitively, but on Thursday night, the Dodgers showed no rust. They earned a 59-43 victory over Des Moines East, and picked up a 77-24 win over Bishop Garrigan.

“It’s awesome to see the guys come out and swim the way they did,” Beaumont said. “We haven’t been in the pool (for a meet) since December 6, so it was nice to finally show what they’ve been working on.”

The Dodgers earned five golds and finished second in eight more events.

“We did see some time drops coming during break in some sprints,” Beaumont said. “David (Nelson) had never broken a minute (in the 100 freestyle) and went 58 seconds over break, and finished in 55 (Thursday). That was his goal for the end of the season.

“Brek (Pingel) dropped nearly 20 seconds in the 500 and we had guys dropping all the way down to our JV.”

Nelson was a double winner for the Dodgers, winning the 100 free (55.64) and 100 backstroke (1:07.05). The Dodgers 1-2 in the 100 back, with Rowan Poutre (1:19.11) grabbing silver.

Pingel captured gold in the 200 freestyle, touching the wall in 2:20.34 — just ahead of teammate Jayden Stanley (2:20.79).

Senior Aiden Seagren was also a champ, finishing the 200 IM in 2:18.65.

“Seeing Aiden with a lifetime best (in the 200 IM) was great,” Beaumont said. “To go out and do that and then the medley getting their best time with a different group was big for us.”

The 200 freestyle relay quartet of Nelson, Trevor Roberts, Stanley and Seagren took gold in 1:41.54.

Nelson, Cael Hansen, Seagren and Ayden Hernandez were second in the 200 medley relay.

Roberts (2:26.94) and Seagren (1:00.94) were second in the 50 freestyle and 100 butterfly, respectively.

Bishop Garrigan’s Matt Besch was the 100 butterfly champ in 59.86.

Pingel added a second-place performance in the 500 freestyle. Hansen was second in the 100 breaststroke (1:19.91).

The 400 freestyle relay squad of Roberts, Hernandez, Hansen and Stanley was second in 4:27.82.

The Dodgers will be back in action on Thursday at Des Moines Hoover.

“I think our guys gained a lot of confidence from this and what they did during the break,” Beaumont said. “We may not be the most experienced team, but we can go out and be competitive against teams like this.”