By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
For many elite swimmers, high school swimming can take a backseat to training and competing at the club level.
But for Shawnee Heights senior star Luke Perkins, an eight-time state medalist, representing the T-Birds in what very well could be the final season of his competitive career is his main focus.
Shawnee Heights swimming star Luke Perkins opened his senior season with three wins in Wednesday's Topeka West Invitational at the Capitol Federal Natatorium. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
"I'm not really swimming club much anymore,'' Perkins said. "I worked a lot over the summer and I swam a little bit but it wasn't my top priority. But I'm getting back into it for high school and it's my last year.''
At this point Perkins is not planning to pursue a college career which makes the upcoming season even more important.
"I think (high school swimming) is more fun and I enjoy the team aspect of it,'' Perkins said. "I really like the team this year. We've got a lot of good guys and they're improving a lot and it's been really fun for us.
"It's really a tight-knit team. We don't have a lot of kids, but we really get along and they all try their best.''
Perkins, who won four Class 5A-1A state medals as a junior, kicked off the 2022-2023 season in Wednesday's 11-school Topeka West Invitational at the Capitol Federal Natatorium with a sweep of his two individual events as well as first and third-place relay finishes.
Perkins won the 200-yard individual medley in 2 minutes, 07.53 seconds and the 100 butterfly in 54.73 and teamed with Riccardo Corazza, Evan Hoobler and Tanner Zerger to win the 200 free relay in 1:35.27. Heights' foursome of Perkins, Hoobler, Corazza and Zerger also posted a third-place finish in the meet-opening 200 medley relay (1:42.72).
"It's my first meet since state last year,'' Perkins said. "I'm a little rusty, but I'm getting back into it and it feels good.''
Shawnee Heights' Riccaro Corazza, a foreign exchange student from Italy, looks up at the scoreboard after his win in the 50-yard freestyle in Wednesday's Topeka West Invitational. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Heights also got an individual win from Corazza, a foreign exchange student from Milan, Italy, in the 50 freestyle (22.33), and Corazza also finished second in the 100 freestyle (50.88).
Corazza is following in the footsteps of another exchange student, Guillaume Humblet, who was a multiple-event state placer last season for the T-Birds.
"I think we've gotten really lucky,'' Perkins said. "He's a butterflyer like me but he swims freestyle, too, and he's doing great. I couldn't ask for more.''
Perkins posted a state runner-up finish as a junior and will be aiming for the only thing that's eluded him -- a state title -- this winter.
"I hope that I can get that top place this year,'' Perkins said. "That's what I'm working towards in the butterfly and I plan on doing the back stroke and IM, too, and we'll see how I place in those other two and that's how I know what I'll do at state.''
"I want to have fun, swim well and as long as I improve and the team's doing well, I'm happy with that.''
Seaman's Colin O'Rourke finished second in the 100 backstroke and tied for third in the 100 butterfly in Wednesday's Topeka West Invitational. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Cordell Dimick posted a third-place finish in the 100 breaststroke to pace Washburn Rural in Wednesday's season-opening Topeka West Invitational. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Topeka High's Jaxon Cowdin, the defending city campion, won Wednesday's one-meter diving event with a score of 203.05 while Seaman's Colin O'Rourke finished second in the 100 backstroke (1:00.40) and tied for third in the 100 butterfly (57.69).
Seamn's Daniel Ramirez finished third in the 200 free (1:57.86) and Washburn Rural's Cordell Dimick was third in the 100 breaststroke (1:05.44).
Olathe Northwest ran away with the team title by a 502.50-308 margin over Lansing while Seaman led the city contingent with a fourth-place finish (262.50).
TOPEKA WEST INVITATIONAL
At Capitol Federal Natatorium
Team scores
Olathe Northwest 502.50, Lansing 308, Manhattan 304, Seaman 262.50, Shawnee Heights 232, Topeka High 198, Washburn Rural 161, Hayden 138, Turner, 77, Junction City 54, Topeka West 19.
Individual results
200 medley relay -- 1. Olathe Northwest (Branstrom, Yim, Lein, Joswara), 1:42.72; 2. Manhattan (Steffensmeier, Graves, Balman, Staedtler), 1:44.27; 3. Shawnee Heights (Perkins, Hoobler, Corazza, Zerger), 1:45.89.
200 freestyle -- 1. Mendez, Lansing, 1:51.30; 2. LaRue, Olathe Northwest, 1:55.74; 3. Ramirez, Seaman, 1:57.86.
200 individual medley -- 1. Perkins, Shawnee Heights, 2:07.53; 2. Yim, 2:10.42; 3. Steffensmeier, Manhattan, 2:11.01.
50 freestyle -- 1. Corazza, Shawnee Heights, 22.33; 2. Joswara, Olathe Northwest, 23.15; 3. Kobs, Lansing, 23.45.
One meter diving -- 1. Cowdin, Topeka High, 203.05; 2. Zimmerman, Olathe Northwest, 177.85; 3. Rastofer, Olathe Northwest, 150.90.
100 butterfly -- 1. Perkins, Shawnee Heights, 54.73; 2. Balman, Manhattan, 57.43; 3. (tie) Branstrom, Olathe Northwest, and O'Rourke, Seaman, 57.69.
100 freestyle -- 1. LaRue, Olathe Northwest, 50.79; 2. Corazza, Shawnee Heights, 50.88; 3. Joswara, Olathe Northwest, 51.09.
500 freestyle -- 1. Mendez, Lansing, 4:58.65; 2. Graves, Manhattan, 5:07.15; 3. Lein, Olathe Northwest, 5:26.71.
200 free relay -- 1. Shawnee Heights (Corazza, Hoobler, Perkins, Zerger), 1:35.27; 2. Olathe Northwest (LeRue, Generally, Yim, Branstrom), 1:37.18; 3. Lansing (DePaolis, Alexander, Mendez, Kobs), 1:38.09.
100 backstroke -- 1. Branstrom, Olathe Northwest, 55.60; 2. O'Rourke, Seaman, 1:00.40; 3. Steffensmeier, Manhattan, 1:00.62.
100 breastroke -- 1. Yim, Olathe Northwest, 1:03.36; 2. Graves, Manhattan, 1:04.26; 3. Dimick, Washburn Rural, 1:05.44.
400 free relay -- 1. Olathe Northwest (Lein, Joswara, LaRue, Branstrom), 3:29.57; 2. Manhattan (Bunger, Steffensmeier, Graves, Balman), 3:38.47; 3. Lansing (DePaolis, Mills, Mendez, Kobs), 3:41.83.
