By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Four Shawnee Heights
Makenna Pritchard helped lead the way as Washburn Rural's girls followed up their 18th straight city swimming championship with the Centennial League title Thursday at the Capitol Federal Natatorium.
Pritchard had a hand in both the Junior Blues' victories as Rural claimed the league team title by a 434-377 margin over Manhattan.
Pitchard won the 100-yard freestyle in 55.55 seconds and two events later teamed up with Aubrey Fritsch, Jeissca Ndungu and Mara Bare to take a victory in the 200 freestyle relay in 1 minutes, 47.32 seconds. Pritchard also finished second in the 50 free in 25.66.
As they had in last week's city meet, the Junior Blues also showed their depth, posting top-three finishes in eight of 12 events in the league meet.
Seaman finished third as a team while posting a meet-high four victories.
Seaman freshman Avery Walz captured a paif of individual victories in Thursday's Centennial League girls swimming championships. [File photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Freshman Avery Walz was a double gold medalist for the Vikings, winning the 200 individual medley by nearly five seconds in 2:12.00 and the 100 breaststroke by more than three and a half seconds in 1:06.50.
Avery's twin sister, Tauren, won the 50 freestyle in 25.39 while Gabby Grace won the 100 backstroke in 1:00.94. Tauren Walz added a close second-place finish in the 100 butterfly (1:02.77).
Topeka West's Kadence Jeffries also captured a pair of individual victories, with the returning two-event state champion continuing to dominate her events.
Topeka West state champ Kadence Jeffries won the 200 and 500 freestyle events in Thursday's Centennial League swimming meet. [File photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Jeffries swept the league titles in the 200 freestyle and 500 free on Thursday, winning the 200 free by nearly 17 seconds in 1:54.18 and taking the 500 free by nearly 18 seconds in a personal-best time of 5:02.60. Jeffries also teamed with MaKayla Baxter, Blanca Espinosa and Ella Teter to finish second in the 200 freestyle relay in 1:50.05.
Hayden finished fourth as a team, with Audrey Kuta taking second in the 100 backstroke (1:02.90) and third in the 100 free (56.35) and Olivia Kerr finishing third in the 200 individual medley (2:20.88) and the 100 breaststroke (1:12.40).
Kuta and Kerr also teamed with Alexis Vu and Ainslee Oliver to finish third in the 400 free relay (4:00.52).
Topeka High's Makayla Geil picked up a third-place individual finish in the 200 freestyle (2:14.57).
Next up are the state tournaments, which also be held at the Capitol Federal Natatorium.
The 6A state meet will be contested next Friday with the 5A-1A meet to follow on Saturday.
CENTENNIAL LEAGUE SWIMMING AND DIVING Team scores
Washburn Rural 434, Manhattan 377, Seaman 286, Hayden 259, Emporia 214, Topeka West 184, Topeka High 141, Junction City 101.
Individual results
200 medley relay -- 1. Manhattan (Francois, Perez, Steffensmeier, Hicks), 1:56.25; 2. Seaman (Riggles, Avery Walz, Tauren Walz, Grace), 1:57.13; 3. Washburn Rural (Fritsch, Ndungu, Bare, Pritchard), 2:02.10.
200 freestyle -- 1 Jeffries, Topeka West, 1:54.18; 2. Bare, Washburn Rural, 2:01.03; 3. Geil, Topeka High, 2:14.57.
200 individual medley -- 1. Avery. Walz, Seaman, 2:12.00; 2. Perez, Manhattan, 2:16.92; 3. Kerr, Hayden, 2:20.88.
50 freestyle -- 1. Tauren Walz, Seaman, 25.39; 2. Pritchard, Washburn Rural, 25.66; 3. Hicks, Manhattan, 27.11.
Diving -- 1. Vincent, Emporia, 441.40; 2. Armstrong, Washburn Rural, 347.70; 3. Stutler, Emporia, 324.55.
100 butterfly -- 1. Steffensmeier, Manhattan, 1:00.25; 2. Tauren Walz, Seaman, 1:02.77; 3. Francois, Manhattan, 1:05.21.
100 freestyle -- 1. Pritchard, Washburn Rural, 55.55; 2. Grace, Seaman, 55.84; 3. Kuta, Hayden, 56.35.
500 freestyle -- 1. Jeffries, Topeka West, 5:02.60; 2. Bare, Washburn Rural, 5:20.48; 3. Steffensmeier, Manhattan, 5:30.42.
200 freestyle relay -- 1. Washburn Rural (Fritsch, Ndungu, Bare, Pritchard), 1:47.32; 2. Topeka West (Baxter, Teter, Espinosa, Jeffries), 1:50.05; 3. Emporia (Brown, Wiltz, Finley, Leihsing), 1:55.68.
100 backstroke -- 1. Grace, Seaman, 1:00.94; 2. Kuta, Hayden, 1:02.90; 3. Fritsch, Washburn Rural, 1:10.13.
100 breaststroke -- 1. Avery Walz, Seaman, 1:06.50; 2. Perez, Manhattan, 1:10.09; 3. Kerr, Hayden, 1:12.40.
400 freestyle relay -- 1. Manhattan (Steffensmeier, Hicks, Francois, Perez), 3:50.37; 2. Seaman (Meggison, Tauren Walz, Grace, Avery Walz), 3:55.25; 3. Hayden (Vu, Oliver, Kerr, Kuta), 4:00.52.
All-Centennial League
First team
Mara Bare, Washburn Rural; Gabby Grace, Seaman; Kadence Jeffries, Topeka West; Olivia Kerr, Hayden; Audrey Kuta, Hayden; Ruth Perez, Manhattan; Makenna Pritchard, Washburn Rural; Sophia Steffensmeier, Manhattan; Avery Walz, Seaman; Cadence Vincent, Emporia; Tauren Walz, Seaman.
Second team
Ellie Armstrong, Washburn Rural; Paige Chauncey, Manhattan; Audrey Conley, Manhattan; Blanca Espinosa, Topeka West; Talia Francois, Manhattan; Aubrey Fritsch, Washburn Rural; Makayla Geil, Topeka High; Sydney Hicks, Manhattan; Avery Inman, Manhattan; Taryn Lemke, Washburn Rural; Jeissca Ndungu, Washburn Rural; Ainslee Oliver, Hayden
