Swimmers second at Packer Invite

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Senior Eric Emerson, left, and junior Roland Pomfret helped lead the Wildcat boys’ swim team to a second place finish at the South St. Paul Packer Invitational Saturday. Emerson received the invite’s first place “Power Points Award” and Pomfret took second place for earning the most individual points at the event. Submitted photo

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After giving perennial Big Rivers Conference powerhouse Eau Claire Memorial a run for its money in a dual meet Thursday night, the Wildcat boys’ swimming and diving team turned in a second place finish at the five-team South St. Paul Packer Invitational Saturday.

Senior Eric Emerson won the 50 and 100 freestyle events and was awarded the invite’s “Power Points Award” for the most individual points earned while junior Roland Pomfret won the 200 individual medley and the 500 freestyle to earn the “Power Points” second place plaque.

River Falls finished with 534 team points, second only to Cambridge-Isanti’s (Minn.) total of 601. South St. Paul was third with 340 while Como Park (Minn.) placed fourth with 287 and Tartan (Minn.) was fifth with 279.

Emerson won the 50 freestyle in 22.63 seconds and the 100 freestyle in 49.53 while Pomfret took first in the 200 individual medley with a time of 2 minutes, 12.96 seconds and the 500 freestyle with a time of 5:17.33.

Both swimmers were also part of the Cats’ winning 200 and 400 freestyle relay teams. They teamed up with senior Mason Saari and freshman Steffen Nielsen to win the 200 in 1:36.47 and joined Saari and sophomore Andrew Yelken in winning the 400 in 3:32.71.

Saari also took first in the 200 freestyle with a time of 2:01.1 while Yelken added a first place time of 1:03.35 in the 100 backstroke and Troy Veith took first in the 100 breaststroke in 1:12.27.

Two nights earlier against Eau Claire Memorial, Emerson broke a pair of his own school records, Pomfret won the 500 freestyle, sophomore Daniel Schraufnagel won the 100 breaststroke, and the Cats won the 400 freestyle relay but the Old Abes prevailed by a score of 107-71.

“Eau Claire Memorial is a very good team, but the guys did a good job of holding their own,” Wildcat coach Brady McAdams said.

Emerson set a new school record while winning the 50 freestyle in 22.23 seconds, and set new school and pool records in winning the 100 freestyle in 48.42.

Pomfret took first in the 500 free in 5:14.84 and Schraufnagel won the 100 breaststroke with a personal best time of 1:14.19.

Pomfret, Yelken, Saari and Emerson teamed up to win the 400 freestyle relay in 3:29.06.

Freshman Brad Kessler turned in a new personal best time of 2:34.53 on his way to a third place finish in the 200 individual medley.

The Cats travel to Menomonie for a BRC dual Thursday night.

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