Metea Valley and Neuqua Valley boys swimming returns after the holiday break, with the Mustangs looking to start the new year in the win collum. The Wildcats travel to Metea and look to continue their impressive start to the season. This highlight is sponsored by BMO.
Neuqua boys swimming starts the year in front
The day begins with the 200-yard medley relay as three Wildcat teams take on two Mustang teams. The outcome is the lane 4 team of Jackson Wagoner, Gabriel Wu, Braden Meurer, and Brian Dillon, slashing the competition with a 1:45.23 time.
Next up is the first individual match of the day, the 200-yard freestyle race. The three Wildcat swimmers, Theodore Yuan, Declan Puacz, and Charlie Wallin, would duke it out for the win, going neck and neck to end the race. Puacz in lane 4 gets the win with an overall time of 1:56.57.
Up next in the 200-yard IM, the Wildcats would continue their dominant start over the Mustangs. This time, it’s Meurer picking up his second overall win of the day with a time of 2:07.69. Neuqua Valley ends with all four swimmers finishing in the top four.
A Wildcat and Mustang go stroke-for-stroke
A little later, In the 100-yard freestyle race, it would be a close battle down to the wire between Metea and Neuqua, but Gabriel Wu prevailed with his second overall win of the day by just 1.14 seconds over Mustang Alex Liu.
Later, in the 100-yard backstroke event, Neuqua would virtually seal the deal as Jackson Wagoner blisters away at lightning speed winning the race with an overall time of 57.75, 11 seconds ahead of second-place Owen Simkins of Metea.
It would be part of the Wildcats dominating 134-32 win over the Mustangs as they start 2024 with a DVC victory.
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