Harlan Swim Club has strong showing at Greater Iowa Swim League State Championships

Harlan Swim Club swimmers competed at the Greater Iowa Swim League State Championships on Saturday, March 11th at Wellmark YMCA in Des Moines. 21 qualifiers swam for the Hurricanes and turned in great performances, leading the team to an overall 6th place finish out of 17 teams.

The team's success was truly a team effort. 19 of the 21 swimmers medaled for the Hurricanes on the day and seven of eight relay teams finished in the top three. All swimmers recorded at least one personal best time on the day. Reilly McMurphy highlighted the meet for the Hurricanes, placing 1st in both the Men 15-18 100 IM and 50 Back events while tying for 2nd place with 57 individual points scored in his age group. The 13-14 Men 200 Free Relay Team of Christian Anderson, Ben Schmitz, Lucas Paulsen, and Landon Nihsen also placed 1st. 

At the state meet, each team nominates a female and male All-Star swimmer, in addition to a coach or layperson. Emeri Smith was named as the Female All-Star swimmer, Ben Schmitz was named as the Male All-Star swimmer, and Ainsley Mages was named as the All-Star coach. The state meet caps a successful 2022-23 season for the Harlan Swim Club. 

The Greater Iowa Swim League is composed of teams throughout Iowa and includes teams from Denison, Carroll, Spencer, Des Moines, Grinnell, Knoxville, Newton, Emmetsburg, Estherville, Manning, Woodbine, Clarinda, Pella, Boone, Perry, and Harlan. The league is an independent league but also includes some teams that have dual membership as a USA Swimming or YMCA team. The Harlan Swim Club participates only in the GISL. The season begins in November and runs through early March each year and consists of swimmers 8 and under to 18 years of age. 52 swimmers are part of the team and registration is in the fall each year. See www.harlanswim.com for more information.

Harlan Swim Club Results

Relay Events

Women 8&Under 100 Free Relay - McKenna Arentson, Emma Paulsen, McKenna Manz, Scarlett Nihsen - 1:25.88 - 3rd Place

Women 8&Under 100 Medley Relay - Emma Paulsen, McKenna Arentson, Scarlett Nihsen, McKenna Manz - 1:36.58 - 2nd Place

Men 9-10 200 Free Relay - Owen Arentson, Easton Berndt, Eagan Berndt, Rhett Jenson - 2:26.92 - 2nd Place

Men 11-12 200 Medley Relay - Jameson Arentson, Owen Arentson, Christian Anderson, Brody Nihsen - 2:32.73 - 2nd Place

Men 13-14 200 Free Relay - Christian Anderson, Ben Schmitz, Lucas Paulsen, Landon Nihsen - 1:56.64 - 1st Place

Women 13-14 200 Medley Relay - Kara Wingert, Maura Jenson, Ainsley Mages, Adelyn Berndt - 2:16.84 - 2nd Place 

Women 15-18 200 Free Relay - Kara Wingert, Kori Smith, Emeri Smith, Adelyn Berndt - 2:04.62 - 6th Place

Men 15-18 200 Medley Relay - Reilly McMurphy, Ben Schmitz, Landon Nihsen, Lucas Paulsen - 2:03.23 - 3rd Place

Individual Events

Event - Place - Time - Points

CHRISTIAN ANDERSON 

HSC MALE / 12 MEET RESULTS: 3 IE / 2 R

17F Men 11-12 50 Free - 4th  - 29.66 - 15.00

3F Men 11-12 100 Free - 6th - 1:06.11 - 13.00

12F Men 11-12 50 Fly - 4th - 34.99 - 15.00

JAMESON ARENTSON 

HSC MALE / 11 MEET RESULTS: 4 IE / 1 R

3F Men 11-12 100 Free - 14th - 1:14.61 - 3.00

19F Men 11-12 50 Back - 5th - 37.47  - 14.00

25D Men 11-12 100 Back - 5th - 1:22.37 - 14.00

16F Men 11-12 100 IM - DQ

MCKENNA ARENTSON 

HSC FEMALE / 8 MEET RESULTS: 3 IE / 2 R

14A Women 8&under 25 Breast - 6th - 24.95 - 13.00

22A Women 8&under 50 Breast - 7th - 57.24 - 12.00

10A Women 8&under 25 Fly - 11th - 25.19 - 6.00

OWEN ARENTSON 

HSC MALE / 10 MEET RESULTS: 3 IE / 2 R

19D Men 9-10 50 Back - 3rd - 41.32 - 16.00

22D Men 9-10 50 Breast - 5th - 46.05 - 14.00

12D Men 9-10 50 Fly - 2nd - 44.73 - 17.00

ADELYN BERNDT 

HSC FEMALE / 13 MEET RESULTS: 3 IE / 2 R

17G  Women 13-14 50 Free - 16th - 30.38 - 1.00

3G Women 13-14 100 Free - 13th - 1:07.88 - 4.00

20E Women 13-14 200 Free - 6th - 2:38.61 - 13.00

EAGAN BERNDT 

HSC MALE / 10 MEET RESULTS: 4 IE / 1 R

17D Men 9-10 50 Free - 2nd 34.74 - 17.00

3D Men 9-10 100 Free - 10th - 1:20.20 - 7.00

20B Men 9-10 200 Free - 3rd- 2:56.47 - 16.00

25B Men 9-10 100 Back - 5th - 1:32.74 - 14.00

EASTON BERNDT 

HSC MALE / 7 MEET RESULTS: 4 IE / 1 R

17B Men 8&under 50 Free - 2nd - 40.13 - 17.00

3B Men 8&under 100 Free - 2nd - 1:28.16 - 17.00

19B Men 8&under 50 Back - 5th - 51.39 - 14.00

10B Men 8&under 25 Fly - 4th - 23.97 - 15.00

MAURA JENSON 

HSC FEMALE / 14 MEET RESULTS: 1 IE / 1 R

17G Women 13-14 50 Free - 32nd - 32.90

RHETT JENSON 

HSC MALE / 10 MEET RESULTS: 3 IE / 1 R

17D Men 9-10 50 Free - 12th - 37.93 - 5.00

3D Men 9-10 100 Free - 16th - 1:21.91 - 1.00

19D Men 9-10 50 Back - 7th - 44.11 - 12.00

AINSLEY MAGES 

HSC FEMALE / 14 MEET RESULTS: 4 IE / 1 R

19G Women 13-14 50 Back - 5th - 34.33  - 14.00

25E Women 13-14 100 Back - 6th - 1:18.03 - 13.00

12G Women 13-14 50 Fly - 5th - 32.42 - 14.00

16G Women 13-14 100 IM - 6th - 1:18.16 - 13.00

MCKENNA MANZ 

HSC FEMALE / 8 MEET RESULTS: 3 IE / 2 R

2A Women 8&under 25 Free - 19th - 21.09

14A Women 8&under 25 Breast - 10th - 28.37 - 7.00

10A Women 8&under 25 Fly - 10 24.92 - 7.00

REILLY MCMURPHY 

HSC MALE / 18 MEET RESULTS: 3 IE / 1 R

19J Men 15&over 50 Back - 1st - 28.08 - 20.00

25H Men 15&over 100 Back - 2nd - 1:00.99 - 17.00

16J Men 15&over 100 IM - 1st - 1:04.01 - 20.00

BRODY NIHSEN 

HSC MALE / 11 MEET RESULTS: 3 IE / 1 R

17F Men 11-12 50 Free - 12th - 32.53 - 5.00

3F Men 11-12 100 Free - 13th - 1:13.92 - 4.00

12F Men 11-12 50 Fly - 11th - 42.40 - 6.00

LANDON NIHSEN 

HSC MALE / 14 MEET RESULTS: 3 IE / 2 R

17H Men 13-14 50 Free - 7th - 27.82 - 12.00

12H Men 13-14 50 Fly - 4th -30.80 - 15.00

16H Men 13-14 100 IM - 5th - 1:15.66 - 14.00

SCARLETT NIHSEN 

HSC FEMALE / 8 MEET RESULTS: 3 IE / 2 R

2A Women 8&under 25 Free - 3rd 17.71 - 16.00

10A Women 8&under 25 Fly - 7th - 23.95 - 12.00

16A Women 8&under 100 IM - 2nd - 1:53.53 - 17.00

EMMA PAULSEN 

HSC FEMALE / 8 MEET RESULTS: 3 IE / 2 R

24A Women 8&under 25 Back - 19th - 28.68

14A Women 8&under 25 Breast - 9th. - 27.13 - 9.00

10A Women 8&under 25 Fly - 8th - 24.38 - 11.00

LUCAS PAULSEN 

HSC MALE / 14 MEET RESULTS: 3 IE / 2 R

3H Men 13-14 100 Free - 11th - 1:09.96 - 6.00

19H Men 13-14 50 Back - 5th - 35.88 - 14.00

25F Men 13-14 100 Back - 7th - 1:20.69 - 12.00

BENJAMIN SCHMITZ 

HSC MALE / 13 MEET RESULTS: 3 IE / 2 R

22H Men 13-14 50 Breast - 5th - 36.64 - 14.00

15F Men 13-14 100 Breast - 4th - 1:20.58 - 15.00 

23D Men 13-14 200 Breast - 3rd - 2:58.42 - 16.00 

EMERI SMITH 

HSC FEMALE / 15 MEET RESULTS: 4 IE / 1 R

17I Women 15&over 50 Free - 18th - 31.69

3I Women 15&over 100 Free - 10th - 1:05.80 - 7.00

12I Women 15&over 50 Fly - 7th - 32.97 - 12.00

16I Women 15&over 100 IM - 7th - 1:16.06 - 12.00

KORI SMITH 

HSC FEMALE / 15 MEET RESULTS: 4 IE / 1 R

17I Women 15&over 50 Free - 17th - 31.41

25G Women 15&over 100 Back - 4th - 1:20.46 - 15.00

12I Women 15&over 50 Fly - 10th - 33.42 - 7.00

16I Women 15&over 100 IM - 10th - 1:20.61 - 7.00

KARA WINGERT 

HSC FEMALE / 13 MEET RESULTS: 3 IE / 2 R

19G Women 13-14 50 Back - 4th - 34.25 - 15.00

25E Women 13-14 100 Back - 7th - 1:19.59 - 12.00

16G Women 13-14 100 IM - 7th - 1:19.43 - 12.00

TEAM ROSTER

Easton Berndt comes out of his turn in the Male 8 & Under 50 Yard Freestyle. He finished 2nd in the event.

McKenna Arentson (left) and McKenna Manz prepare for the Female 8 & Under 100 Yard Medley Relay. Their team finished 3rd.

Landon Nihsen swam the butterfly in the Male 15-18 200 Yard Medley Relay. The team placed 3rd. 

Lucas Paulsen anchors the Male 15-18 200 Yard Medley Relay. The team placed 3rd. 

Ainsley Mages (left), Emeri Smith, and Ben Schmitz were named All-Stars for the Harlan Swim Club. They were All-Star Coach, Female, and Male respectively.

Kori Smith placed 10th in the 15-18 Female 100 IM.

Scarlett Nihsen (in water) and Emma Paulsen receive instruction from coach Ainsley Mages during warm-ups.

Ben Schmitz approaches the turn in the Male 13-14 200 Yard Breaststroke. He finished in 3rd.

The Male 13-14 200 Free Relay finished 1st. Left to right: Christian Anderson, Lucas Paulsen, Landon Nihsen, and Ben Schmitz.

2023 GISL State Championship Meet Swimmers

Front (Left to right): Scarlett Nihsen, McKenna Manz, Emma Paulsen, Easton Berndt, McKenna Arentson

2nd row: Ainsley Mages, Kori Smith, Emeri Smith, Addie Berndt, Kara Wingert

3rd Row: Maura Jenson, Owen Arentson, Brody Nihsen, Rhett Jenson

Back Row: Owen Arentson, Landon Nihsen, Lucas Paulsen, Christian Anderson, Eagan Berndt, Ben Schmitz

Not pictured: Reilly McMurphy

2022-23 Harlan Swim Team

Front (Left to right): Madelyn Holsing, Ava Hensley, Scarlett Nihsen, McKenna Manz, Emma Paulsen, Lauren Obrecht, Easton Berndt, McKenna Arentson

2nd row: Easton Langer, Ainsley Mages, Kori Smith, Emeri Smith, Addie Berndt, Kara Wingert, Logan Obrecht

3rd Row: Coach Amber Schmitz, Maura Jenson, Brinley Jenson, Owen Arentson, Brody Nihsen, Rhett Jenson, Ben Schmitz, Coach Aurora Miller

Back Row: Coach Deb Morgan, Coach Matt Schmitz, Owen Arentson, Landon Nihsen, Lucas Paulsen, Christian Anderson, Eagan Berndt, Easton Lynch, Royce Paulsen

Not pictured: Liam Albertsen,Thomas Albertsen, Allie Anderson, Lacy Anderson, Selah Boggess, Arianna Daniels, Josie Daniels, Ainsley Huebner, Breckyn Manz, Reilly McMurphy, Lauren Mickelson, Meredith Mulligan, Edyn Stinn, Harper Petsche, Brogan Schechinger, Brynn Schumacher, Chandler Schumacher, Kate Spangenberg, Pyper Montgomery, Graham Svendsen, Leah Svendsen, Rex Swanson, McKenna Vanden Berg, McKenna Wohlhutter, Michael Wohlhutter