The 2020 Iowa Boys State Championships took place on Saturday, Feb. 15 at the University of Iowa. The 2019 Iowa Girls State Championships occurred on Nov. 9, 2019.
Ankeny’s Trent Frandson demolished a 35-year-old state record in the 200 free with a final time of 1:35.68 while Bettendorf’s Charlie Bunn set a new state mark in the 50 (20.18) and anchored his team’s record-setting 4×100 free relay (3:02.38). Iowa City’s Forrest Frazier set a trio of state records in the 200 IM (1:45.96), 100 breast (53.15), and as a member of his team’s 4×50 medley relay (1:31.58).
A trio of Iowa state records fell during the girls’ meet, first by Iowa City West’s Scarlet Martin in the 100 fly with a time of 53.41. Ankeny’s Jasmine Rumley set a new state mark in the 100 free (49.03) while Dowling Catholic’s Katie Broderick’s prelims time of 54.57 in the 100 back set a new overall standard.
Iowa City West used their impressive depth to secure the boys’ team title with a total score of 262.5 ahead of defending champion Ankeny’ 236 points. On the girls side, Dowling Catholic dominated the meet and finished with 360 points to end Ames’ four-year reign.
BOYS MEET
Click HERE for full results and team scores.
Top 5 Team Scores:
1. Iowa City West – 262.5
2. Ankeny – 236
3. Waukee – 231
4. Bettendorf – 219
5. Iowa City – 160
Iowa City’s Caleb Coons (23.95), Frazier (23.76), Isaac Weigel (22.36), and Bryce Edens (21.51) started the meet with a bang as they won the opening 4×50 medley relay in a combined time of 1:31.58. Their time crushed the Iowa state record of 1:32.67 set by Dowling Catholic in 2019, and runner-up Iowa City West was also under the old mark in 1:31.86.
Frandson, who has verbally committed to Cal, won the 200 free for the second-consecutive season with a time of 1:35.68. His time crushed the previous state record of 1:36.36 set by Craig Oppel back in 1985. Shortly after, he was back in the water to defend his title in the 500 free after stopping the clock in 4:26.27.
Soon after helping his team to a medley relay record, Frazier was back in the pool to win the 200 IM in 1:45.96 en route to breaking the Iowa state record of 1:46.91 set by Mark McGlaughlin in 2016. The soon-to-be Cal Golden Bear also won the 100 breast to successfully defend his title, winning the event in 53.15 to break his own state record of 54.16 set in 2018.
Charlie Bunn of Bettendorf won the 50 free for the second year in a row, splashing-and-dashing his way to the wall in a quick 20.18 to eclipse Will Scott’s overall record of 20.29 from three years ago. The Missouri commit also defended his 100 free title with a swift 44.41 for another gold.
After placing third in the 100 fly a season ago, Waukee’s Andrew Reiter found himself on top of the podium this season after getting his hands to the wall first with a time of 48.93. Iowa City West senior James Pinter got his hand the wall the quickest to win the 100 back after powering home in 50.01.
Bettendorf’s Sam Mitvalsky (21.02), Noah Mitvalsky (21.68), Alex Stone (20.55) and Bunn (19.93) combined to win the 4×50 free relay in 1:23.18. S. Mitvalsky (45.84), N. Mitvalsky (47.68), Stone (44.97), and Bunn (43.89) again joined forces to win the 4×100 free relay in 3:02.38, eclipsing the state record of 3:02.98 from 2015.
GIRLS MEET
Click HERE for full results and team scores.
Top 5 Team Scores:
1. Dowling Catholic – 360
2. Ames – 328
3. Ankeny – 200
4. Iowa City West – 184.5
5. Waukee – 150
Dowling Catholic’s Broderick (25.96), Mary Martin (28.94), Berit Quass (24.28), and Cassie Rounds (23.36) began the meet by winning the opening 4×50 medley relay in 1:42.54, three seconds ahead of the field. Broderick then went on to defend her title in the 100 back with a final time of 55.53 after setting the state record during prelims in 54.57. M. Martin also won the 100 breast in 1:03.33.
After finishing third in the 200 free last season, Iowa City West’s Aurora Roghair found herself on top of the podium this year after stopping the clock in 1:48.85 as the first of only two swimmers under the 1:50-barrier. The junior, who earned silver in the 500 free last year, led the charge this season and won in 4:50.87.
S. Martin, who took bronze in the 200 IM in 2018, cruised to first this season after getting her hand to the wall in 2:02.56. Shortly after, she was back in the water to earn another gold medal in the 100 fly in 53.41; her time broke Quass’ state record of 53.67 set in 2018. Tennessee-bound Quass took second in 54.71.
Rumley took the top spot in the 50 free for the third-consecutive year, splashing and dashing her way home in 22.53 as the only swimmer under the 23-second barrier and only .02 off the overall Iowa state record. She proved her sprint talent by also claiming gold in the 100 free in a quick 49.03, taking down the state mark of 49.54 set by Amy Feddersen in 2017.
Ames’ Meghan Donald (23.70), Mikayla Kloth (23.88), Gracie Wesselmann (23.55), and Brinley Horras (23.70) won the 4×50 free relay in 1:34.83. Dowling Catholic’s Mary Weetman (52.97), Julia Sweetman (52.97), Quass (51.32), and Broderick (51.18) concluded the meet by winning the 4×100 free relay in 3:28.11.