Step one: completed.

After a seventh-place finish at the state meet last year, the Trojan Bolts have set themselves up for another year of success with the help of senior leaders James Pinter and Izaak Hajek. To finish their dual season undefeated with nine commanding wins was step one on the road back to state. The Trojans Bolts did exactly that with a 117-53 dual win over City High to secure the cross-town rivalry and the coveted Golden Speedo.

Competition heated up quickly as the first event premiered the state’s top two 200-yard medley relay teams. West’s quartet consisting of Pinter, Hajek, Jordan Christensen ’22, and Diggory Dillingham ’23 held on to win with a winning time of 1:37.07 as Pinter narrowly outstretched the Little Hawks behind emphatic cheers from the crowd.

“The three guys ahead of me did their job perfectly and gave me the opportunity to pull it off in the first place,” Pinter said. “The energy from the team definitely helped set the atmosphere to swim City down.”

The Trojan Bolts never looked back after the dramatic victory placing first, second, and third in the 50-yard freestyle, 100-yard butterfly, and the 400-yard freestyle relay to make up their 117 combined team points by the end of the night.

Yet another solid performance from Pinter as he continues to lead the Trojan Bolts and works towards finding a state championship of his own after coming home with second-place finishes last year. Pinter picked up individual wins in the 200-yard freestyle and the 100-yard backstroke with winning times of 1:43.58 and 52.33 respectively along with his contributions to the 200-yard medley relay and 200-yard freestyle relay wins.

The boys swim team will be back in action on Saturday, Jan. 25 for the Mississippi Valley Conference Super Meet in Dubuque as they head into the postseason.

Step two: win a state title.

Gallery • 10 Photos

Owen Aanestad

Luke Nichols '21 swims in the 100-yard butterfly against City on Jan. 21.