By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Washburn Rural girls swimming entered the 2026 season with a lot of question marks.
And three meets into the year, Junior Blues coach Bob Burdick has seen steady progress.
Now the key for Rural is to continue taking strides as the city, Centennial League and state meets get closer and closer.
"We are making progress, but we have a lot more to go,'' Burdick said. "Our pool was actually broken down for five days, which took us out a whole week and set us back, but the new kids are coming on great and the older kids are pulling their weight and starting to get back down to the times they should be at, which is great.''
Washburn Rural senior Audrey Appuhn (left) and Shawnee Heights junior Clara Sobba congratulate each other after the swimmers went one-two in the 100-yard freestyle Wednesday. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Led by a victory and runnerup finish from senior Audrey Appuhn, as well as a runnerup relay finish, the Junior Blues finished Wednesday's Topeka High Invitational at the Capitol Federal Natatorium with 284 points, finishing third behind Lawrence Free State (536 points) and Hays (337).
"Silly little mistakes tonight may have cost us second place, but that's OK,'' Burdick said. "There were just some DQs (disqualifications) for just simple little things, technical things, and we're working on them and it helps when we're consistently in the pool.
"The girls are doing great though and the team's coming together. I'm really happy with everybody and it's a lot of fun.''
Appuhn won the 100-yard freestyle in a time of 57.50 seconds and finished second in the 100 breaststroke in 1 minute, 15.99 seconds while the foursome of Sophie Heinen, Kaci Hodgson, Resego Mackenzie and Ava Von Lintel finished second in the 400 freestyle in 4:46.87.
Heinen was the runnerup in the 500 freestyle in 6:33.78 while Von Lintel finished third in 6:56.95.
Other meet highlights:
Hayden junior Kailyn Gerdel posted second and third-place finishes in Wednesday's Topeka High Invitational. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
• Hayden junior Kailyn Gerdel finished second in the 200 freestyle in 2:12.42 and was third in the 100 breaststroke in 1:18.26.
Topeka High senior Hara Del Castillo had a pair of second-place finishes in Wednesday's Topeka High Invitational. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
• Topeka High senior Hara Del Castillo posted a second-place finish in the 50 freestyle in 28.26 and second in the 100 backstroke in 1:11.35 while High's Mackenzie Caryl finished third in one-meter diving with a score of 137.85.
• Shawnee Heights junior Clara Sobba placed second in the 100 freestyle in 1:00.70 and third in the 50 freestyle in 28.32.
• Seaman's Riley Strother finished third in the 100 backstroke in 1:12.84.
TOPEKA HIGH INVITATIONAL
At Capitol Federal Natatorium
Team scores
Lawrence Free State 536, Hays 337, Washburn Rural 284, Lawrence 263, Junction City 220, Seaman 207, Hayden 147, Topeka High 104, Shawnee Heights 84, Topeka West 30.
Individual results
200 medley relay -- 1. Free State, 1:59.73; 2. Hays, 2:12.65; 3. Junction City, 2:21.07.
200 freestyle -- 1. Bridget Collins, Free State, 2:08.33; 2. Kaelyn Gerdel, Hayden, 2:12.43; 3. Dylan Tenbrink, Free State, 2:19.
200 individual medley -- 1. Ella Marsh, Free State, 2:09.83; 2. Siggi Mattes, Free State, 2:19.65; 3. Ashlyn Tell, Lawrence, 2:27.62.
50 freestyle -- 1. Jaylen Hughes, Hays, 26.93; 2. Hara Del Castillo, Topeka High, 28.26; 3. Clara Sobba, Shawnee Heights, 28.32.
One meter diving -- 1. Harper Huston, Free State, 164.55; 2. Lucy Koch, Free State, 150.45; 3. Mackenzie Caryl, Topeka High, 1.37.85.
100 butterfly -- 1. Ella Marsh, Free State, 58.17; 2. Ruby Jiang, Free State, 1:03.63; 3. Ashlyn Tell, Lawrence, 1:05.54.
100 freestyle -- 1. Audrey Appuhn, Washburn Rural, 57.50; 2. Clara Sobba, Shawnee Heights, 1:00.70; 3. Dylan Tenbrink, Free State, 1:02.89.
500 freestyle -- 1. Bridget Collins, Free State, 538.62; 2. Sophie Heinen, Hayden, 6:33.78; 3. Ava Von Lintel, Washburn Rural, 6:56.95.
200 free relay -- 1. Hays, 1:56.10; 2. Junction City, 2:02.37; 3. Lawrence, 2:03.75.
100 backstroke -- 1. Siggi Mattes, Free State, 1:04.65; 2. Hara Del Castillo, Topeka High, 1:11.35; 3. Riley Strother, Seaman, 1:12.84.
100 breastroke -- 1. Ruby Jiang, Free State, 1:12.47; 2. Audrey Appuhn, Washburn Rural, 1:15.99; 3. Kaelyn Gerdel, Hayden, 1:18.26.
400 free relay -- 1. Free State, 3:57.20; 2. Washburn Rural, 4:46.87; 3. Free State 'B', 4:51.06.
