Marshall junior Eden Elfrink was second among 56 entries in the JV boys' 50-yard freestyle race at the Independence Invitational. (Chris Allen/Democrat-News) [Click to enlarge] [Order this photo]

The Owls tied for fifth place in a field of 21 varsity teams, almost all of them large metro schools, and won three of the nine events they entered -- setting three school and nine personal records. This was with four individual varsity entries and five in the junior varsity, which finished in 11th place among 22 teams.

Most impressive was the 200-yard medley relay of senior Mason Weber, junior Khris Ward, sophomore Brock Musick and freshman Tyler Nichols. They not only won -- beating traditional powers Rock Bridge of Columbia and Rockhurst of Kansas City -- but lowered the school record by 2.2 seconds to 1:41.75, the third-best time in the state this year reported to the Missouri Interscholastic Swim Coaches Association.

The second-place 200 free relay (1:31.66) was 1.13 seconds faster than the MHS record, but head coach Jim Heinzler suspects it could have won the event had not Nichols not come fresh from the pool after racing in the 500-yard freestyle (5:08.43), where he finished fourth with a time which qualified him for the MSHSAA Championships.

Weber, of course, made his own splash by extending his season winning streak to eight straight races with victories in the 100 breaststroke (58.38 seconds) and 200 individual medley (1:57.81). In the former, he not only improved on his personal standard with the fastest time recorded in the state this season, but also automatically earned all-America status. His IM time ranks third in the state.

Musick was fourth in the 100 free (51.77) and sixth in the 100 backstroke (1:00.39), lowering his top time.

Ward was seventh in the 100 butterfly (58.28) and set a new personal record while placing 11th in the 50 free (23.92). Nichols also had his best race while coming in third in the 100 breast (1:05.44).

The Owls collected 191 points, the same as Rock Bridge, while Rockhurst won the meet with 281 points.

In the JV division, junior Eden Elfrink had Marshall's highest finish with second in the 50 free (25.28), also eclipsing his own best time while placing 11th in the 200 free (2:10.12).

Both the seventh-place 200 free relay (1:52.08) and ninth-place 200 medley relay (2:12.62) of Elfrink, senior Michael Hammer and sophomores Ethan Murphy and Quaid Hayob lowered the times for Owls "B" units.

Personal records were also established by Hammer in the 100 back (1:27.69) and freshman Kirton Joshi in the 50 free (30.86) and 100 free (1:23.73).

Marshall will have two weeks out of the competitive water before heading to the Smith-Cotton Invitational, Oct. 18 at Sedalia.