By TODD FERTIG
TopSports.news
Washburn Rural swimming ran its string of Topeka City Boys Championships to seven Thursday, running away with the city meet at Capitol Federal Natatorium.
Washburn Rural boys swimming celebrates in the Capitol Federal Natatorium pool Thursday after winning its seventh straight city team title. [Photo by Todd Fertig/TSN]
The Junior Blues were so dominant they claimed all but two of the 11 All-City first-team slots. They racked up 609 points, topping Seaman with 371.
The performance prompted second-year coach Bob Burdick to say that the rebuild from a Class 6A State third-place finish in 2024 is ahead of schedule.
“We lost a lot of seniors (from 2024), and they were really fast seniors. So, we had a rebuild year last year,” Burdick said. “That rebuild went way faster than expected because we got a lot of great swimmers. We’re going to lose 12 seniors this year, but we’re still looking just as solid next year because of all the new freshmen and sophomores coming in as well as the team that will return.
“They’ve got a great attitude and they’ve meshed totally as a team. We don’t have anybody with ego problems or anything like that. So that’s carrying the whole team.”
Daniel Allen won two individual events and swam on two winning relays as Washburn Rural dominated Thursday's city championships. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Braeden Montgomery was a double individual champion Thursday and swam on a winning relay as Washburn Rural won its seventh straight city team title. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Daniel Allen and Braeden Montgomery led the Junior Blues by taking first in two individual events while Thomas Appuhn, Castle Wallace and Davin Potts each collected one win.
Seaman's Kinser Barbosa won the 50 and 100-yard freestyle in Thursday's city swimming meet. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Kinser Barbosa highlighted the Seaman performance by taking first in the 50- and 100-yard freestyle races.
“I was able to push past my limits and break those benchmarks in my individuals and was able to maintain it in both relays too. So, I feel great,” Barbosa said. “This is a special meet where you get to compete with your friends, but also where everyone has that great mindset to push past your limits. Each race is a great race because they all have the same mindset.”
Will Stewart was named to the All-City first team for placing second in two events and for also helping lead Topeka High relay teams to two third-place finishes.
Allen returned to the Junior Blues for his junior year after devoting last season solely to club competition. Burdick knew what he was getting in Allen because, as a freshman, he placed seventh at the state meet in the 500-yard freestyle and also contributed to a relay team that placed third at state.
“Adding Daniel is the anchor for the relays, so we know we’re going to be strong there, but we also have a lot of good swimmers supporting him,” Burdick said. “His attitude is really great for the team. That helps motivate a lot of people and gives us a great role model in the pool.”
Allen said he is enjoying being back competing with the Junior Blues, particularly because he is joined on the team by his brother, freshman Benjamin Allen, who also was named to the All-City first team.
“For me, I think this is more fun than club, but definitely I needed the club to be where I am today,” Allen said. “I like the city meet for the team atmosphere. The amount the boys support each other and cheer for each other makes it great.
“(Swimming with my brother) is really fun. That’s part of the reason I came back was I knew I was going to have two years to swim with him. And next year we should be on some relays together. So, it’s gonna be fun to racing with him all the time and possibly see him at state with me.”
2026 TOPEKA CITY CHAMPIONSHIPS
At Capitol Federal Natatorium
Team scores
Washburn Rural 609, Seaman 371, Hayden 268, Topeka High 234, Shawnee Heights 103, Topeka West 43.
INDIVIDUAL RESULTS
200 medley relay — 1. Washburn Rural (Appuhn, Wallace, D. Allen, Jensen), 1:41.75; 2. Seaman (Barbosa, Glotzbach, Carlson, Hochard), 1:52.68; 3. Topeka High (Willis, Toland, Stewart, Lathrop-Allen), 1:56.65.
200 freestyle — 1. Montgomery, Washburn Rural, 1:54.17; 2. B. Allen, Washburn Rural, 2:02.39; 3. Jeffries, Washburn Rural, 2:03.10.
200 individual medley — 1. Appuhn, Washburn Rural, 2:03.12; 2. Morao-Jaspe, Washburn Rural, 2:09.00; 3. Carlson, Seaman, 2:28.03.
50 freestyle — 1. Barbosa, Seaman, 22.41; 2. Stewart, Topeka High, 23.24; 3. Luke, Hayden, 23.56.
1-meter diving — 1. Potts, Washburn Rural, 146.65; 2. Ratteree, Topeka High, 137.80.
100 butterfly — 1. D. Allen, Washburn Rural, 52.22; 2. B. Allen, Washburn Rural, 1:00.54; 3. Chaudhry, Washburn Rural, 1:01.95.
100 freestyle — 1. Barbosa, Seaman, 49.23; 2. Stewart, Topeka High, 51.46; 3. Wallace, Washburn Rural, 53.13.
500 freestyle — 1. Montgomery, Washburn Rural, 5:58.97; 2. Morao-Jaspe, Washburn Rural, 5:21.39; 3. Reid, Hayden, 6:02.24.
200 freestyle relay — 1. Washburn Rural (Wallace, Jeffries, Jessop, Jensen), 1:36.27; 2. Seaman (Barbosa, Hochard, Sloyer, Carlson), 1:40.00; 3. Washburn Rural (B. Allen, Dillon, Schoffelman, Kennedy), 1:46.87.
100 backstroke — 1. D. Allen, Washburn Rural, 52.82; 2. Appuhn, Washburn Rural, 55.50; 3. Chaudhry, Washburn Rural, 1:02.18.
100 breaststroke — 1. Wallace, Washburn Rural, 1:04.74; 2. Glotzbach, Seaman, 1:12.82; 3. Jeffries, Washburn Rural, 1:12.84.
400 freestyle relay — 1. Washburn Rural (Morao-Jaspe, Montgomery, Appuhn, D. Allen), 3:24.55; 2. Washburn Rural (B. Allen, St. John, Kennedy, Jessop), 3:47.82; 3. Topeka High (Stewart, Storrer, Willis, Toland), 3:51.35.
ALL-CITY FIRST TEAM
Kinser Barbosa, Seaman; Braeden Montgomery, Washburn Rural; Daniel Allen, Washburn Rural; Thomas Appuhn, Washburn Rural; Castle Wallace, Washburn Rural; Andres Morao-Jaspe, Washburn Rural; Benjamin Allen, Washburn Rural; Will Stewart, Topeka High; Alexander Jeffries, Washburn Rural; Zain Chaudhry, Washburn Rural; Davin Potts, Washburn Rural.
ALL-CITY SECOND TEAM
Theron Carlson, Seaman; Miller Reid, Hayden; Quinten Jessop, Potts, Washburn Rural; Patrick Luke, Hayden; Henry Sterling, Hayden; Joseph Jensen, Potts, Washburn Rural; William Toland, Topeka High; Camp LeDuc, Seaman; Owen Gann, Shawnee Heights; Jackson Wills, Topeka High; Wyatt Ratteree, Topeka High.
