High School State Championships: Kansas Boys

TOPEKA, Kansas, February 19. THE Hummer Sports Complex in Topeka hosted the Kansas State High School Swimming and Diving Championships Feb. 14-16. Swimmers competed in two divisions–1A to 5A, and 6A.

Division 1A-5A
Hayden High School swept the freestyle relays with the quartet of junior Austin Lewis, seniors Ryan France and Michael Wangerin, and sophomore John-Martin Schmidt. They combined for a 1:30.57 in the 200 free relay and 3:17.91 in the 400 free relay. Schmidt grabbed an individual title with his 4:42.15 in the 500 free, and missed a second win by 5-hundredths in the 200 free, losing to Shawnee Mission South sophomore Ryan Sweat (1:42.88-1:42.93).

Maize South took charge in the 200 medley relay, putting together a 1:40.90 victory with junior Jonathon Lavalle, senior Greyson Heckman, sophomore Jacob Evraets and junior Caleb Peterson. Heckman collected a win in the 100 fly (51.30), as did Lavalle in the 100 back (53.06).

Keizer Witte, a senior at Winfield, put together triumphs in the sprint free (50 free, 20.48; 100 free, 45.58). Bishop Carroll junior Will Smith earned a victory in the 100 breast (1:02.36) over Wangerin's 1:02.49.

Heath McGinn, in his final high school meet for St. James Academy, placed first in the 200 IM (1:57.25). Jackson Conrad, a sophomore at Shawnee Mission South, landed a winning score of 353.20 in the diving event.

Division 6A
Maize senior Lucas Popp equaled Witte's feat in taking the sprint titles in the 6A competition. Popp posted times of 20.99 in the 50 free and 45.37 in the 100 free. Popp, along with classmate Grant Latimer, sophomore Chris Clemons and freshman Preston Barley, claimed the 200 free relay with their 1:26.97.

Another senior–Wichita East's Jesse Musser–took care of the distance free with his winning 1:39.47 in the 200 free and 4:32.06 in the 500 free. He also swam a leg on Wichita East's victorious 200 medley relay, along with juniors Brandon Shinsato, Nate Pirner and Andrew Sousa (1:35.91). Pirner claimed victory in the 100 breast (57.80), and senior Jake Spitz gave Wichita East 20 points with his first-place clocking of 50.00 in the 100 fly.

The quartet of juniors Jackson Granstaff and Zack Holbrook, with seniors Christopher Watkins and Troy DeMoss swimming the second and third legs, combined for a winning 3:10.67 in the 400 free relay for Shawnee Mission East. DeMoss earned first in the 200 IM with his clocking of 1:53.86.

Blue Valley senior Chris Hearl topped the field in the championship finals of the 100 back (50.90), and the diving event went to Daniel Fechtau, a sophomore at Blue Valley West (457.30 points).

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