Valparaiso finished its 2004-2005 season on a positive note Saturday, placing fourth in the eight-team House of Champions Invitational held in Indianapolis, Ind.

The Crusaders finished with 356.5 points over the three days of competition, 47.5 points ahead of fifth place Eastern Michigan. Eastern Illinois took home the title with 812.5 points, followed by Western Illinois with 738 and IUPUI with 542 points. Miami (Ohio) was sixth with 277 points, while Vincennes (133) and Wabash (80) rounded out the field.

Mike Stachniak (Orland Park, Ill./Sandburg H.S.) led off the final day with a tenth place finish in the 1650 freestyle with a time of 17:29.40. Travers Smith (Huntley, Ill./Huntley H.S.) then finished third in the 200 backstroke, touching the wall in 1:58.84, while teammate Greg Stock (Kirkwood, Mo./Kirkwood H.S.) was ninth with a time of 2:05.55.

Bob Schmidt (Lakeville, Minn./Lakeville H.S.) led the way in the 100 free with his 13th place finish in a time of 49.03 seconds, while David Kesler (Beverly Hills, Mich./Birmingham Groves H.S.) was two places back finishing in 49.12 seconds.

David Peterson (Schererville, Ind./Highland H.S.) led the way for the Crusaders in the 200 breaststroke, finishing runner-up after touching the wall in 2:09.91. Scott Dueball (Des Plaines, Ill./Maine West H.S.) was tenth in the event (2:22.06) while Patrick Kirby (Danville, Ill./Schlarman H.S.) was 12th (2:25.41).

Bob Pedersen (Urbana, Ill./Urbana H.S.) led the way for Valpo in the 200 butterfly, finishing tenth with a time of 1:59.49.

The Crusaders closed the meet with a fifth place finish in the 400 free relay, as Smith, Kesler, Peterson, and Pedersen touched the wall in 3:13.21.