Prep report: Spartan swimmers edge Chippewa Falls

Superior’s Paulo Pagnucci won the 100-meter breaststroke and was a part of the Spartans’ winning 200-meter relay team in a 84-83 win over Chippewa Falls Thursday in Superior.

Pagnucci was more than nine seconds ahead of the Cardinals’ Noah Duex in the breaststroke and the 200-meter freestyle relay team — which also included Evan DeMars, Art Pfeil and Ryan Peterson — was more than eight seconds ahead of the second place team, also a Spartan team.

The Spartans won just the two events, but second place finishes in nine other events, as well as multiple events where Superior placed two people in the top three allowed them to gain the advantage over Chippewa Falls.

Peterson picked up second place finishes in the 200- and 500-meter freestyle events. In addition, Zeke Fish finished second in the 100-meter butterfly and Eli Benson was second in the backstroke.

Superior 84 Chippewa Falls 83
200-yard medley - Chippewa Falls (Erick Petrowski, Ryan Beranek, Rowan Rinick, Noah Duex) 1:54.27; 200 freestyle - Rowan Rinick CFH, 2:06.50; 200 individual medley - Beranek, CFH, 2:16.34; 50 freestyle - Ryan McIntyre, CFH, :26.84; 100 butterfly - Rinick, CFH, 1:06.24; 100 freestyle - Petrowski, CFH, :52.53; 500 freestyle - Beranek, CFH, 5:26.08; 200 freestyle relay - Superior (Paolo Pagnucci, Evan DeMars, Art Pfeil, Ryan Peterson) 1:51.00; 100 backstroke - Luke McIntyre, CFH, 1:14.71; 100 breaststroke - Pagnucci, SHS, 1:12.29; 400 freestyle relay - Chippewa Falls, (Rinick, Subie Mason, Petrowski, Beranek) 3:47.83.

1/4: Superior’s Ryan Peterson finishes second in the 200 yard freestyle during the Spartans duel with Chippewa Falls Thursday evening, Dec. 16, 2021, in Superior. Jed Carlson / Superior Telegram

2/4: Superior’s Paolo Pagnucci swims to a third place finish in the 200 yard individual medley during the Spartans duel with Chippewa Falls Thursday evening, Dec. 16, 2021, in Superior. Jed Carlson / Superior Telegram

3/4: Superior’s Joe Duzell glides through the water as he earns a second place finish in the 100 yard freestyle during the Spartans duel with Chippewa Falls Thursday evening, Dec. 16, 2021, in Superior. Jed Carlson / Superior Telegram

4/4: Superior head swim coach Bill Punyko reacts to seeing Joe Duzell’s time pop up on the board during the 100 yard freestyle at the Spartans duel with Chippewa Falls Thursday evening, Dec. 16, 2021, in Superior. Jed Carlson / Superior Telegram