Several NCMP Swimmers advanced Saturday to the upcoming State Swim Meet next Friday and Saturday in Iowa City, while the Newton girls basketball team and both Cardinal bowling teams picked up wins away from home. 

Newton’s Finn Martin is going to the State Meet as District Swimmer of the Year from the District Swim Meet in Ames. Martin won two events and set new Ames pool records in each. He broke his own record time from last year, winning the 50 yard freestyle in 20.46. In the 100 yard freestyle, his time of 45.23 was another Ames pool record. Martin, Ethan Comer, MacK Copeland, and Caleb Punt earned a State spot in the 200 yard freestyle relay by placing second. Their time was 1:28.65. Comer ais also going to State in the 100 yard breaststroke after finishing second in 1:01.48. The 400 yard freestyle team made State after placing third. NCMP’s 200 yard medley relay team will also compete in Iowa City, as their time was among the 24 fastest across that state. As a team, NCMP placed 5th out of the eight schools at Saturday’s regional.

The Newton girls basketball team ended a seven game losing streak Saturday by defeating Des Moines Lincoln on the Railsplitters’ home court 65-35. The Cardinals led 17-2 after the first quarter, and outscored Des Moines Lincoln 14-8, 16-11, and 18-14 in the final three quarters. Newton coach Jake Bennett said it was fun to finally see shots falling for the girls, and it happened due to their unselfish play. Alex Riney and Tori White were high scorers for the Cardinals, with 14 points apiece. The Newton girls will play at Norwalk this coming Tuesday.

The Newton girls and boys bowling teams swept ADM in Adel Saturday. The Cardinals girls downed ADM 2,231 pins to 1,944. Gabbie Humphrey had high game at 203 and a high series of 364 for Newton, as the girls improved to 7-3 in duals. That’s the same record for the Newton boys after they defeated ADM 2,874 to 2,789. 226 was the high game for the Cardinal boys from Gentry Swarts, while the high series of 399 was bowled by Austin Kennedy. Up next for Newton’s bowling teams is the State Qualifying Meet at Cardinal Lanes in Newton Tuesday February 18th.