Mike Loupee and the Marshalltown boys’ swim team had one such opportunity Thursday against a short-handed Des Moines Hoover squad. Winning 98-30 and taking advantage of the chance to give swimmers a different look provided 28 lifetime-best times and provided more data for the Bobcats to work with.

Dane Petty and Carter Hunt swam the 100-yard butterfly and made it a photo finish, with Petty inching out a victory thanks to a time of 1 minute, 2.21 seconds. Hunt finished in 1:02.28.

Loupee said it was a good opportunity to have some fun and get the Bobcats swimming while tired early in the year.

“We looked at it as what’s good for swimming and not necessarily just our kids,” Loupee said. “It doesn’t teach our kids anything to see how badly we can beat somebody who’s struggling. So it gave us a chance to move some guys around and have a little fun.

“This gave us a chance to do something a little different and keep it kind of fresh for the kids. The guys swam hard, that’s the expectation.”

Charlie Gilbertson put in a 53.18 time to win the 100 free, with Sam Greazel behind him at 56.01. Greazel won the 50 free at 24.99, barely beating out Kaden Case’s 25.01.

Loupee pointed out Lincoln Barker as having a good day with a strong time in the 200 individual medley, winning the event at 2:17.82 and putting in a 53.27 leg of the 400 freestyle relay.

Brevon Gibson was another swimmer Loupee singled out for a strong showing, in particular after a trying 2021-22 season in which he missed out completely with health issues. Gibson was part of the winning 200 free relay and swam a 26.26 in his leg.

“He had three lifetime bests, and I just can’t say enough about his heart,” Loupee said. “He had some health issues and he wasn’t cleared physically to swim, so he had to sit out the whole swim season last year. So to come back after sitting out of swimming for a year and a half and do as well as he’s done, he’s been getting after it every set and every day.”

Marshalltown has its first road invitational of the season this Saturday at the Boone Relays, which starts at 10 a.m.