Irondale and Centennial clashed in an electric early-season dual on Tuesday night, with Irondale ultimately pulling ahead late to secure a 101–83 varsity victory. Both programs showcased speed, depth, and breakout swims across the lineup, with momentum swinging repeatedly throughout the first half of the meet.
Centennial opened with a strong statement in the 200 Medley Relay as Grant Page, Isaac Nguyen, Devin Swenson, and Eliot Shepard powered to a winning 1:46.73. Irondale answered immediately with second and third-place finishes to keep the meet close early.
The Knights surged ahead in the 200 Freestyle, where Samuel Reichert controlled the race from start to finish, posting a smooth 1:56.20. Irondale added a second-place finish from Dylan Zabrowski, while Centennial kept itself in the scoring with a third from Grant Page and fifth from Evan Lautenschlager. The momentum continued into the 200 IM where Kai Nelson won in 2:15.99, giving Irondale another event victory despite a strong runner-up finish from Brendan Chretien.
The sprint free added another spark, with Irondale standout Isaac Botten posting a blistering 21.98 to win the 50 Freestyle by nearly two seconds. Centennial held steady with second and third from Eliot Shepard and Isaac Nguyen, but Irondale’s depth put the Knights in their best position of the night.
Through the 50 Free, Irondale led 38–24.
Centennial stormed back on the boards, sweeping the top two varsity diving spots behind Blake Thorson (209.15) and Elijah Manthei, with a key third-place finish from Irondale’s David Iverson keeping the Knights in front. But Irondale struck again in the 100 Butterfly, earning a big 1–2 finish from Samuel Reichert (57.17) and Finneus Rosivach. Centennial answered with third from Eli Hoerl and fifth from Brennan Nielson, keeping the dual competitive.
The 100 Freestyle delivered another highlight, with Grant Page taking the win in 52.77 ahead of Irondale’s Dylan Zabrowski. Irondale countered by stacking crucial fourth and sixth-place points, maintaining its edge heading into the distance event.
In the 500 Freestyle, Irondale extended its lead again behind a commanding swim from Isaac Botten, who stopped the clock at 5:00.07, winning by more than 20 seconds. Centennial kept the scoring tight with a 2–3 finish from Isaac Nguyen and Ethan Stegora, but Irondale’s Adin Reed (4th) and Tobias Mink (5th) added enough points to widen the gap.
After the 500 Free, Irondale held a 69–57 advantage.
Irondale continued its push by taking the 200 Free Relay in 1:36.40, powered by Isaac Botten, Dylan Zabrowski, Finneus Rosivach, and Samuel Reichert. The Knights added another large scoring swing in the 100 Backstroke, where Kai Nelson (1:02.70) and Alvin Nguyen (1:07.93) delivered a 1–2 finish. Centennial kept themselves alive with a third-place touch from Brennan Nielson and a fourth from Devin Swenson, but Irondale’s momentum was difficult to stop.
In the 100 Breaststroke, Irondale locked in another 1–2 finish with David Iverson (1:11.75) and Finneus Rosivach (1:11.79), while Eli Hoerl and Evan Lautenschlager responded with strong third and fourth-place finishes for Centennial.
The Cougars closed the meet with a statement win in the 400 Free Relay, clocking 3:34.63 thanks to Isaac Nguyen, Brendan Chretien, Blake Thorson, and Grant Page, but Irondale had already secured the meet through their dominant stretch between the 50 Free and the 100 Breaststroke.
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