We go from Girls Swimming in the Fall, to Boys Swimming in the Winter for today’s edition of the Best KICD 9-County Area Teams in the 2025-2026 Year.

The Spencer Boys Swim Team took a big step forward in 2024-25 and looked to build on that success for 2025-26 with most of their top point scorers coming back.

The season started off in Carroll where Spencer went up against Carroll Area, Fort Dodge, and Bishop Garrigan of Algona. Spencer’s 200y Medley Relay team of Ray Kaiser, Owen Van Otterloo, Mason Yost, and Carson Profit took 1st. Oliver Miller would take 2nd in the 200y Free. The Tigers took 3 of the top 5 spots in the 50y Free with Kaiser taking 1st, Profit in 2nd, and Ethan Hass in 4th. Yost claimed 2nd in the 100y Fly. In the 100y Free, it was Van Otterloo claiming 1st with his teammates Hass and Zach Trimble taking 2nd and 5th respectively. Miller won the 500y Free before coming back for the 200y Free Relay along with Ethan Weston, Van Otterloo, and Profit, taking 2nd. Ray Kaiser took 2nd in the 100y Backstroke with Ted Harder taking 5th. Spencer packed the top 5 again, this time in the 100y Breaststroke, placing Owen Van Otterloo 1st, Yost 3rd, and Weston 4th. Kaiser, Miller, Harder, and Yost closed out the meet with a 1st place finish in the 400y Free. Spencer came away with a comfortable first place finish amongst the 4 teams.

The Tigers took a loss on December 4th to Sioux City Metro and then Events scheduled on December 9th and 13th were both postponed, so Spencer wasn’t able to get back in the competition pool till December 20th at the Mike Wittmer Invite in Ames.

Ray Kaiser broke the top 5 in the 100y Backstroke, taking 5th. Owen Van Otterloo also finished 5th in the 100y Breaststroke. Out of the 10 teams competing, The Tigers took 8th.

Spencer began the New Year with a dominant 122-33 win against Bishop Garrigan of Algona, then prepared for the Waterloo Invitational.

Kaiser, Owen Van Otterloo, Yost, and Ethan Hass got together to take 2nd in the 200y Medley Relay. Miller won the 200y Free. Kaiser took 2nd in the 50y Free, and Hass was 5th. In the 100y Fly, Yost took 3rd and Oliver Hass was 5th. Owen Van Otterloo took 3rd in the 100y Free with Ethan Hass 5th. For the 500y Free, Oliver Miller cruised to a 1st place finish. Spencer’s team of Kaiser, Miller, Owen Van Otterloo, and Ethan Hass finished 2nd in the 200y Free Relay. Ray Kaiser picked up the win in the 100y Backstroke. Owen Van Otterloo picked up another win for the Tigers in the 100y Breaststroke with teammate Weston in 5th. The Invite finished off with Spencer taking 3rd in the 400y Free Relay with a team of Oliver Hass, Miller, Weston, and Yost. Spencer finished 2nd out of the 6 competing teams.

Spencer would pick up another dominant win against Bishop Garrigan of Algona and edged out Mason City at a Triangular on January 13th.

The Tigers competed at the Rusty Garst Invitational on January 17th, hosted by Fort Dodge. Kaiser, Owen Van Otterloo, Yost, and Ethan Hass were 3rd as a 200y Medley Relay team. Oliver Miller was 3rd in the 200y Free. Ray Kaiser won the 50y Free with Mason Yost in 5th. Miller got back in the pool for the 500y Freestyle, taking first for Spencer. In the 200y Free Relay, Kaiser, Miller, Owen Van Otterloo, and Ethan Hass took 3rd. Kaiser was 3rd in teh 100y Backstroke and Owen Van Otterloo took 2nd in the 100y Breaststroke. Spencer’s 400y Free Relay team of Oliver Hass, Miller, Weston, and Yost took 3rd. The Tigers were 4th out of 8 teams.

Spencer took 3rd at a Quad against Boone, Carroll, and Bishop Garrigan of Algona, then 2nd at a home Triangular against Sioux City Metro and Bishop Garrigan of Algona. It was another road trip to Carroll for Spencer where they finished 2nd in a Triangular against Carroll Area and Atlantic.

The District Meet was up next as the Tigers traveled to Mason City, in a District that included Valley of West Des Moines, Ankeny, Decorah, Mason City, Waterloo, Bishop Garrigan of Algona, and Fort Dodge.

Oliver Miller was 5th in the 200y Free. Miller would then finish 4th in the 500y Free. Ray Kaiser ended up 2nd in the 100y Backstroke, right before Owen Van Otterloo took 2nd in the 100y Breaststroke. Spencer finished 5th as a team out of the 8.

The IHSAA State Swimming Championships were at the University of Iowa Aquatic Center in Fort Dodge. Spencer brought a speculated School Record of events down to the State Championships. The Tigers wouldn’t get any podium finishes but ended up finishing 23rd in team points.

Much of that production graduated in 2026 for Spencer, and they will look to continue the growth of the program as they go into the 2026-27 season.

We will be digging into Girls Wrestling next as we continue our look at the best KICD 9-County Area teams of 2025-2026.