By ISAAC DEER
TopSports.news
Washburn Rural secured its fourth consecutive city swimming title with a 15-point victory over Seaman.
Washburn Rural has been one of the city's best programs for an extended period of time and on Thursday night at the Capitol Federal Natatorium, the Junior Blues proved why they could finish the 2023 campaign strong.
Washburn Rural's Brogan Meier celebrates his win in the 100 freestyle with Hayden's Dylan Gregg during Thursday's city swimming championships. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Washburn Rural's Jack Miranda swims to victory in the 200-yard freestyle in Thursday's swimming championships. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
The Junior Blues had four swimmers selected first-team All-City while two earned second-team honors.
"I'm proud of the boys," Washburn Rural coach Nathan Traver said. "A couple of swimmers had (personal records), especially with the backstroke and breaststroke. Our next big meet is (Centennial) League. We need to focus now on beating Manhattan. We've been just behind (Manhattan) all year long. Getting a victory over Manhattan would be pretty sweet."
One of the most intriguing events of the night was the 100-yard freestyle.
Brogan Meier of Washburn Rural and Shawnee Heights' Riccardo Corazza provided a spectacular finish, with Meier edging Corrazza 49.56 seconds to 49.58. Meier also took a first-place finish in the 100-yard backstroke.
"I'm really happy about it," Meier said. "Individually, one of the best meets in the last year. I think everyone did their part. We had the scores, and we were probably 15 points up, but everyone was telling each other we are still four points down. Having the mentality that the meet isn't over and knowing we still have to go out there and win was huge. It was a great meet."
Meier's teammate Jack Miranda had a stellar championship day as well. Miranda took two individual victories, winning the 200-yard freestyle and won comfortably in the 500-yard freestyle.
Before the city championship, Miranda's times ranked him first in Class 6A for the 500-yard freestyle and seventh in the 200-yard freestyle. Miranda beat both of his season-best times on Thursday.
Miranda is still first in 6A in the 500-yard freestyle (4:54.48) and is now the second-best swimmer in the 200-yard freestyle (1:48.02).
"I love doing the 500, I love doing distance, I love doing the 200 freestyle," Miranda said. "My goal is to win state this year. I look forward to winning state in the 500 as well as the 200 freestyle. I'm going to continue to try and better myself every single day."
Individually, Cordell Dimick won a city title in the 100-yard breaststroke for Washburn Rural. In addition, Washburn Rural won a title in the 400-yard freestyle relay as a team.
Although runner-up Seaman didn't have any individual champions, the team had outstanding performances as a team and by Daniel Ramirez and Colin O'Rourke.
Ramirez and O'Rourke both were selected to first-team all-city.
Shawnee Heights senior star Luke Perkins won four gold medals in Thursday's city swimming championships. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Shawnee Heights' swimmer Luke Perkins had a memorable day in the pool. Perkins took first place in the 200-yard individual medley and 100-yard butterfly. In addition, Thunderbird teammate Corazza won the 50-yard freestyle and the T-Birds won the 200 medley relay and 200 free relay.
Topeka High diver Jaxon Cowdin took first overall in the diving competition.
Cowdin, who's ranked No. 12 in Class 6A, was ahead of teammates Stuart Campbell and Austen Miller, who took second and third place.
TOPEKA BOYS CITY CHAMPIONSHIPS
At Capitol Federal Natatorium
Team scores
Washburn Rural 452, Seaman 437, Hayden 358, Topeka High 338, Shawnee Heights 285, Topeka West 35.
Individual results
One meter diving – 1. Cowdin, Topeka High, 391.35, 2. Campbell, Topeka High, 187.95, 3. Miller, Topeka High, 135.50, 4. Parsons, Seaman, 111.50.
200 medley relay -- 1. Shawnee Heights (Perkins, Hoobler, Corazza, Zerger), 1:41.44, 2. Washburn Rural (Meier, Dimick, Powell, Sinha), 1:45.18, 3. Hayden (Johnson, O’Bray, Gregg, Wahlmeier), 1:49.31, 4. Seaman (Pekarek, Moylan, O’Rourke, Holmes), 1:51.70, 5. Washburn Rural (Lanterman, Leenerts, Jefferies, Carr-Metzger), 2:06.83, 6. Hayden (Cruz, Hammes, Carson, Luke), 2:15.60, Topeka High (DQ), Seaman C (DQ), Seaman B (DQ), Shawnee Heights (DQ).
200 freestyle -- 1. Miranda, Washburn Rural, 1:48.02, 2. Ramirez, Seaman, 1:52.70, 3. Stewart, Topeka High, 1:59.77, 4. Johnson, Topeka High, 2:08.11, 5. Colette, Topeka West, 2:09.99.
200 individual medley – 1. Perkins, Shawnee Heights, 2:01.12, 2. O’Rourke, Seaman, 2:06.81, 3. Johnson, Hayden, 2:11.41, 4. Dimick, Washburn Rural, 2:12.49, 5. Lemke, Washburn Rural, 2:15.12.
50 freestyle -- 1. Corazza, Shawnee Heights, 22.55, 2. Powell, Washburn Rural, 22.90, 3. Zerger, Shawnee Heights, 23.08, 4. Gregg, Hayden, 23.17, 5. Appelhanz, Seaman, 24.22.
100 butterfly -- 1. Perkins, Shawnee Heights, 52.63, 2. O’Rourke, Seaman, 54.44, 3. Powell, Washburn Rural, 54.53, 4. Stewart, Topeka High, 1:02.01, 5. Cuevas, Seaman, 1:04.71.
100 freestyle -- 1. Meier, Washburn Rural, 49.56, 2. Corazza, Shawnee Heights, 49.58, 3. Gregg, Hayden, 53.67, 4. Lemke, Washburn Rural, 54.03, 5. Appelhanz, Seaman, 54.52.
500 freestyle -- 1. Miranda, Washburn Rural, 4:54.48, 2. Hoobler, Shawnee Heights, 5:25.53, 3. Sinha, Washburn Rural, 5:51.99, 4. Johnson, Topeka High, 5:56.99, 5. Stuke, Seaman, 6:02.92.
200 freestyle relay -- 1. Shawnee Heights (Zerger, Hoobler, Perkins, Corazza), 1:33.71, 2. Washburn Rural (Lemke, Dimick, Leenerts, Miranda), 1:37.57, 3. Seaman (Holmes, Stuke, Appelhanz, Ramirez), 1:37.96, 4. Topeka High (Stewart, Schmidt, Johnson, Payne) 1:40.09, 5. Seaman (Cuevas, Hochard, Wurm, Warren), 1:41.43.
100 backstroke -- 1. Meier, Washburn Rural, 55.87, 2. Brede, Shawnee Heights, 58.70, 3. Ramirez, Seaman, 58.91, 4. Johnson, Hayden, 1:00.91, 5. Wahlmeier, Hayden, 1:04.91.
100 breaststroke -- 1. Dimick, Washburn Rural, 1:05.01, 2. Payne, Topeka High, 1:07.07, 3. Hoobler, Shawnee Heights, 1:10.06, 4. Schmidt, Topeka High, 1:10.58, 5. O’Bray, Hayden, 1:12.06.
400 freestyle relay -- 1. Washburn Rural (Powell, Lemke, Meier, Miranda), 3:26.46, 2. Seaman (Appelhanz, Pekarek, O’Rourke, Ramirez), 3:35.18, 3. Hayden (Johnson, Gregg, Wahlmeier, Beckman), 3:44.54, 4. Topeka High (Stewart, Johnson, Schmidt, Payne) 3:44.86, 5. Seaman, (Hochard, Cuevas, Moylan, Moore), 3:51.27
First Team All-City – Meier, Washburn Rural, Perkins, Shawnee Heights, Miranda, Washburn Rural, Corazza, Shawnee Heights, Dimick, Washburn Rural, O’Rourke, Seaman, Hoobler, Shawnee Heights, Powell, Washburn Rural, Ramirez, Seaman, Stewart, Topeka High, Gregg, Hayden, Johnson, Hayden.
Second Team All-City – Brede, Shawnee Heights, Johnson, Topeka High, Lemke, Washburn Rural, Payne, Topeka High, Appelhanz, Seaman, Sinha, Washburn Rural, Schmidt, Topeka High, Wahlmeier, Hayden, Stuke, Seaman, Moore, Seaman.
