First time ever: Trojans swim past BSM

New Prague’s swimmers have reason to enjoy growing confidence as the schedule turns the final leg of the regular season.

The Trojans earned their first-ever dual meet win over Benilde-St. Margaret’s Thursday, Jan. 25. With two meets left before a 20-day layoff before the section meet Feb. 21-22 in Lakeville, coach Dakota Becerra said the team’s hard work and talent are coming together to pay dividends.

The Trojans swam against Mankato West Tuesday, Jan. 30, in New Prague. Details of the meet were not available when The New Prague Times went to press. Today, Thursday, Feb. 1, 6 p.m., New Prague will complete its regular season at Olson Middle School against Bloomington Jefferson.

Trojans 94, Benilde-St. Margaret’s 89 Honoring seniors, Grant Pahl and Elias Pavlak, the Trojans enjoyed solid performances and claimed the dual meet win Jan. 25.

New Prague won big points early in the meet when they won first- and second-place points in the 200-yard freestyle relay. The quartet of Brendan Panka, Pahl, Kieran Holets and Jacob Bisek won in 1:35.11 while Christian Engel, Jacob Bouley, Grady Neisen and Carson Sayler finished second in 1:40.80 as the Trojans took 12 of 14 points from the event.

New Prague’s divers – Brody Dvorak (179.20 points), Preston Longanecker (151.35) and Henry Anglin (101.90) – took the top three places.

“Those points from the first part of the meet carried us through the rest of the meet,” Becerra said.

The Trojans also took second and third in the 200-yard medley relay. The quartet of Bouley, Bisek, Panka and Pahl finished second in...

To see more on this story  pick up the February 1, 2024 print edition of The New Prague Times.