By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Five city swimming and diving teams opened the 2026 season in Thursday's Topeka West Invitational, with a sweep of the top three places in one-meter diving pacing the local contingent.
Hayden's Avery Rosenow won the diving event with a score of 173.75, while Topeka High's Mackenzie Caryl placed second at 138.75 and Seaman's Madiylyn Typer was third at 105.40.
Shawnee Heights' Clara Sobba posted a third-place finish in the 100 freestyle in Thursday's Topeka West Invitational. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Another city highlight was turned in by Shawnee Heights' Clara Sobba, who posted a third-place finish in the 100-yard freestyle in a time of 1:01.71, while Topeka High's Hara Del Castillo was fifth in 1:04.50.
Seaman's Riley Strother helped the Vikings finish fifth in the 200 medley relay in Thursday's Topeka West Invitational. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Seaman's Riley Strother, Lizzie Gould, Jenna Zimmerman and Ava Carlson finished fifth in the 200 medley relay in 2:18.32.
Hayden's Kaelyn Gerdel posted a pair of top-five individual finishes in Thursday's Topeka West Invitational. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Hayden's Kaelyn Gerdel placed fifth in the 200 freestyle (2:15.92) while Seaman's Strother was fifth (2:51.05) and Topeka High's Avery Skinner sixth (2:51.97) in the 200 individual medley.
Topeka High's Hara Del Castillo swims to a fifth-place finish in the 100 backstroke in Thursday's Topeka West Invitational. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
High's Del Castillo added a fifth-place finish in the 100 backstroke (1:11.58) while Hayden's Gerdel placed fourth in the 100 breastroke (1:19.41) and the Wildcats' Lilly Charvat was sixth in the 100 breaststroke (1:23.55).
TOPEKA WEST INVITATIONAL
At Capitol Federal Natatorium
Team scores
Lansing 547, McPherson 247, De Soto 230, Wichita Collegiate 192, Basehor-Linwood 176, Piper 165, Seaman 131, Topeka High 117, Wichita Independent 82, Hayden 71, Bonner Springs 66, Turner 46, Shawnee Heights 42, Wichita Trinity 12, Topeka West 3.
Individual results
200 medley relay -- 1. Lansing, 2:03.79; 2. Wichita Collegiate, 2:07.21; 3. De Soto, 2:09.69.
200 freestyle -- 1. Bruch, Basehor-Linwood, 1:57.45; 2. Kobs, Lansing, 1:58.26; 3. Ford, Lansing, 2:11.42.
200 individual medley -- 1. Hayes, Lansing, 2:20.39; 2. Valdivia, Wichita Collegiate, 2:24.02; 3. Jones, Wichita Independent, 2:40.60.
50 freestyle -- 1. Archambault, Lansing, 26.13; 2. Verzola, Lansing, 26.39; 3. Johnson, Wichita Collegiate, 26.70.
One meter diving -- 1. Rosenow, Hayden, 173.75; 2. Caryl, Topeka High, 1.38.75; 3. Typer, Seaman, 105.40.
100 butterfly -- 1. Kobs, Lansing, 1:00.14; 2. Ford, Lansing, 1:06.78; 3. Wiens, McPherson, 1:08.71.
100 freestyle -- 1. Archambault, Lansing, 57.88; 2. Walter, Lansing, 1:00.24; 3. Sobba, Shawnee Heights, 1:01.71.
500 freestyle -- 1. Bruch, Basehor-Linwood, 5:16.14; 2. Johannes, Lansing, 6:11.14; 3. Keim, De Soto, 6:15.88.
200 free relay -- 1. Lansing, 1:44.90; 2. Wichita Collegiate, 1:52.04; 3. Basehor-Linwood, 1:53.69.
100 backstroke -- 1. Valdivia, Wichita Collegiate, 1:04.42; 2. Johnson, Wichita Collegiate, 1:08.84; 3. Walter, Lansing, 1:09.00.
100 breastroke -- 1. Hayes, Lansing, 1:11.99; 2. Johannes, Lansing, 1:15.87; 3. Wiens, McPherson, 1:18.82.
400 free relay -- 1. Lansing 'A', 3:55.40; 2. Lansing 'B', 4:11:17; 3. Basehor-Linwood, 4:20.23.
