On Saturday, February 11, the boys swim and dive team took on the 2023 boys MISCA meet. Each athlete had to earn certain times in their events earlier in the season to be able to qualify and compete against some of the best athletes in the state. 

The Rangers qualified in all three relay races this year. To start the meet, sophomores Nolan Breckon, Logan Tiggleman, Sam Grant, and junior Dylan Pomeroy took on the 200-yard medley relay where they placed twenty-eighth out of thirty-five teams with a time of 1:47.65. Later, in event nine, freshman Lucas Witham and seniors Gavin Cai, Ben Rogala, and Isaac Stewart took on the 200-yard free relay. With their combined efforts they were able to take twenty-first place out of forty teams with a final time of 1:32.89. Lastly, to close the meet out, Isaac Stewart, Ben Rogala, Lucas Witham, and junior Reed Dixon had a stellar performance in the 400-yard free. They took thirteenth place out of thirty-two teams and ended with a time of 3:23.31.

“The meet on Saturday was the biggest by far, it included teams from around the state in all divisions so it gave us a good competitive atmosphere,” Isaac said. “The meet could have gone better with a few more state qualifying times but overall we had good swims.”

The individual events came next and the boys proved that they deserved to be there. Gavin Cai was able to compete in two individual events, the first being the 100-yard fly. Gavin took fifty-third place out of sixty-four competitors with a time of 57.65. He later competed in the 100-yard breast where he took thirty-fourth place with a time of 1:05.82. Reed Dixon also earned himself two individual races. His first was the 200-yard free, where he took twenty-first out of fifty athletes with a time of 1:49.88. His second event was the 100-yard fly, where he took forty-fourth out of sixty-four athletes with a final time of 56.52.

“MISCA was our first meet with cut requirements, meaning you had to be invited to race and you had to have fast enough times to qualify,” Gavin said. “Having the opportunity to race some really fast competition was great but unfortunately it just wasn’t my day for several reasons and I just didn’t go as fast as I was hoping to.”

Ben Rogala had an impressive meet in his two events. In the fifty-yard free he took twenty-fifth place out of fifty-seven swimmers with a final time of 22.61. In his second event, the 100-yard free, Ben took twenty-eighth place out of fifty-two athletes and he ended with an impressive time of 50.56. Lastly, Isaac Stewart had stellar performances in both of his individual events. In the 200-yard free he took twenty-seventh place with a final time of 1:50.70 and during the 100-yard free he took twenty-fourth place with a completed time of 50.27. 

“Our team did well with qualifying our 400-yard relay for states,” Isaac said. “I was disappointed I didn’t qualify in my 200-yard free for state but now I am hoping to do that at conference.”

The Rangers will compete against their last conference team, away at East Grand Rapids, on Tuesday, February 14, at 6:00 p.m.