ROCK ISLAND, Ill. - Depth was on display in the Carver Center Pool on Saturday, October 29 as the Augustana men rolled to easy victories over Loras (161-56) and Knox (183-18) in the opening meet of the 2016-17 season. The Vikings won nine individual events and only had one double winner and that was in diving.
 
Head coach Dan Lloyd turned his youngsters loose on the DuHawks and the Prairie Fire as four of the individual winners were freshmen and three were sophomores. For good measure Augustana also won both relays to open and close the meet on positive notes.
 
The Vikings started the afternoon with an impressive win in the 200 medley relay in a time of 1:38.37 and it was some familiar faces that were on the winning team. Sophomore Jared Ekberg (Rockford Christian HS, Rockford, Ill.), senior Ian Disteldorf (Brother Rice HS, Oak Forest, Ill.), junior Chris Wilson (Bradford-on-Tone, United Kingdom) and sophomore Bryan Haage (Huntley HS, Huntley, Ill.) combined to get the meet started in the right direction.
 
After the veterans got things started, the freshmen stepped in. Adam Smith (Palatine HS, Palatine, Ill.) won the 1,000 freestyle in 10:35.06 and in the next event it was Connor Bullard (Rockford Auburn HS, Loves Park, Ill.) taking the 200 freestyle in 1:53.56. Finishing second behind Bullard was still another freshman, Souhail Rhafiri (Rabat, Morocco) with a time of 1:54.91. Later in the meet Rhafiri would win the 100 freestyle in :51.05.
 
The other freshman to win an event was diver Spencer Mason (Arrowhead HS, Pewaukee, Wis.) who took both the one meter (143.10) and three meter (124.20) events.
 
Ekberg won the 100 backstroke in :53.51 and anchored the victorious 400 freestyle relay that closed out the meet with a time of 3:19.53. Ekberg was joined on that relay by Rhafiri, Disteldorf and Haage. Haage won the 200 individual medley in 2:00.61 and Disteldorf took the 100 breaststroke in 1:01.80.
 
Sophomore Kyle Workman (Morrison HS, Morrison, Ill.) was the other winner for the Vikings with a time of 5:34.14 in the 500 freestyle.
 
Sophomore Luke Herron (Vail Christian HS, Edwards, Colo.) finished second in the 50 freestyle with a time of :22.75 and he also took second in the 100 freestyle in :51.07. Freshman Zach Ogden (United Township HS, Silvis, Ill.) was the runner-up in the 200 individual medley behind Haage with a time of 2:11.54. Sophomore Brendan Walker (Tinley Park HS, Oak Forest, Ill.) placed second in the 100 butterfly in :58.88. Freshman Greg Roskowic (Rockford East HS, Rockford, Ill.) placed second in the 100 backstroke (1:00.10) and third in the 100 freestyle (:51.50).
 
Sophomore Tyler Andrews (Wheaton North HS, Wheaton, Ill.) was third in the 1000 freestyle (12:26.08) and freshman Nate Prescher (Bettendorf HS, Bettendorf, Iowa) finished third in the 50 freestyle (:23.45).
 
After helping win the 200 medley relay to start the meet, Wilson also placed third in the 100 butterfly in :59.03. Freshman John McDonaugh (Glenbrook North HS, Northbrook, Ill.) was third in the 500 freestyle (5:48.00).