By Todd Fertig
TopSports.news
Local teams experimented with different lineups at the Topeka High School Invitational girls swim meet at Capitol Federal Natatorium Thursday as they focused on development.
Washburn Rural senior Genevieve Miranda was a double individual winner in Thursday's Topeka High Invitational. [File photo/TSN]
The Washburn Rural girls finished the highest of the local teams in the 13-team field, placing third.
Early-season meets give young swimmers an opportunity to try different events, and they afford coaches a chance to find best fits to help the team, Washburn Rural coach Bob Burdick said.
“If we wanted to win this meet, we would have put swimmers in different races than we did,” Burdick said. “Tonight, we tried a lot of people in a lot of new spots to see what they could do. That’s what we’ve got to do to build it.”
Leading the Junior Blues was senior Genevieve Miranda, a veteran who was willing to swim events she wouldn’t normally be in. No matter. She placed first in two events, an unusual combination of a sprint and a distance race. She was victorious in the 50-yard freestyle and the 500-yard freestyle.
“I’ve been training a lot to work up to this level, so I’m really excited,” Miranda said. “Even if I’m in an event that’s not my best race, I’m doing my best for the team.”
Washburn Rural junior Audrey Appuhn posted a win in the 100 breaststroke in Thursday's Topeka High Invitational.
The Junior Blues’ Audrey Appuhn, a junior, added a first in the 100-yard breaststroke.
“Since we lost a lot of swimmers to graduation, what we’re doing is trying to figure out where our best placement is for our swimmers,” Burdick said. “But then we have all these new swimmers. So, we’re shuffling them around, building their confidence and seeing where the puzzle fits.
“When we get to the end of the season, we’ve got a small team, but it only takes 14 or 15 kids to win a championship meet. We’ve just got to have them in the right spots.”
“We’re down by like 10 people or so from last year, but so far everybody’s been doing great at doing everything together and having team unity,” Miranda added. “It’s important that we hype ourselves up as a team and don’t let each other get nervous. Nerves are a big thing when it comes to racing.”
Topeka High's Hara Del Castillo was an individual winner in the 200 IM in Thursday's Topeka High Invitational. [File photo/TSN]
Topeka High junior Hara Del Castillo placed first in the 200 individual medley. But she pointed out that she is racing against herself more than she is the field.
“I like winning even if the time wasn’t what I wanted it to be,” Del Castillo said. “I’m not doing as well as I would like to be. My times haven’t been hitting where I usually would be. I’m hoping it will be better later in the season. This was a chance to scope out how I’m doing and see what I can work on.”
Seaman senior Joslynn Grace won the 100 butterfly in Thursday's Topeka High Invitational. [File photo/TSN]
Claiming Seaman’s lone gold medal was senior Joslynn Grace, who came in first in the 100-yard butterfly.
TOPEKA HIGH INVITATIONAL
TEAM SCORES
Olathe South 498.5, Marion 370.5, Washburn Rural 279, Salina South 201, Independence 191, Seaman 179, Shawnee Heights 165, Emporia 147, Topeka High 96, Salina Central 94, Junction City 64, Bonner Springs 23, Topeka West 5.
INDIVIDUAL RESULTS
200 medley relay — 1. Olathe South (K. Jacobs, Ngo, M. Jacobs, Sullivan), 1:58.64; 2. Seaman (Greig, Grace, Strobel, Carlson), 2:16.06; 3. Washburn Rural (Miranda, Mackenzie, Hamilton, Von Lintel), 2:16.19.
200 freestyle — 1. K. Jacobs, Olathe South, 1:56.00; 2. Vogt, Marion, 1:56.43; 3. Appuhn, Washburn Rural, 1:58.06.
200 individual medley — 1. Del Castillo, Topeka, 2:32.48; 2. DeLargy, Olathe South, 2:39.01; 3. Strother, Seaman, 2:54.80.
50 freestyle — 1. Miranda, Washburn Rural, 26.46; 2. Landry, Shawnee Heights, 28.30; 3. Heinen, Washburn Rural, 28.55.
1-meter diving — 1. Weiss, Emporia, 234.30; 2. Carlson, Marion, 215.00; 3. Fields, Salina Central, 206.85.
100 butterfly — 1. Grace, Seaman, 1:02.09; 2. Helmer, Marion, 1:13.54; 3. Ngo, Olathe South, 1:14.51.
100 freestyle — 1. M. Jacobs, Olathe South, 54.41; 2. Ebel, Salina Central, 56.52; 3. Landry, Shawnee Heights, 1:00.14.
500 freestyle — 1. Miranda, Washburn Rural, 5:58.76; 2. Aldridge, Shawnee Heights, 5:59.41; 3. DeLargy, Olathe South, 6:10.60.
200 freestyle relay — 1. Marion (Jost, Driggers, Just, Vogt), 1:51.30; 2. Shawnee Heights (Aldridge, DeLier, Sobba, Landry), 1:58.14; 3. Olathe South (Mabie, Ngo, Rodriguez, Whitney), 1:59.83.
100 backstroke — 1. Vogt, Marion, 1:00.29; 2. Snyder, Olathe South, 1:07.12; 3. Jost, Marion, 1:07.66.
100 breaststroke — 1. Appuhn, Washburn Rural, 1:07.80; 2. M. Jacobs, Olathe South, 1:10.70; 3. K. Jacobs, Olathe South, 1:12.30.
400 freestyle relay — 1. Olathe South (Snyder, Sullivan, K. Jacobs, M. Jacobs), 3:52.52; 2. Washburn Rural (Heinen, Von Lintel, Appuhn, Miranda), 4:04.00; 3. Marion (Jost, Hein, Driggers, Vogt), 4:14.84.
