Tradition-rich Blue Springs did it again.
For the 11th consecutive season, the Wildcats captured a conference swim meet, taking home the top prize at Saturday’s Suburban Big Seven Championships at Henley Aquatic Center in Independence.
The Wildcats outpaced the field with a team score of 524 points. Lee’s
Summit North was second with 334 points, Blue Springs South finished fourth
(276.50 points) and Lee’s Summit took fifth (258 points).
“We were nervous coming into the season,” the Wildcats’ Jameson Wright said of a senior-laden team. “This is our senior year and we didn’t want to be the class that came out and screwed it up.”
It was a true team performance for Blue Springs judging by the Wildcats’ 200-yard freestyle relay team that took home first place with a time of 1 minute, 30.59 seconds. Its 400 freestyle relay team also placed first with a time of 3:21.98. The Wildcats also placed third in the 200 medley relay with a time of 1:45.09.
“Most of our guys haven’t been swimming so great this year,” Wright said. “But when it came down to conference, they swam great and had a good meet.”
Wright, a member of all three state-championship-bound relay teams, individually placed first in the 100 butterfly and second in the 200 freestyle.
The Wildcats’ Marron Harris placed fourth in the 100 breaststroke and qualified for state with a time of 1:05.84.
“It feels good,” Harris said. “I started the season off kind of slow, but I’ve dropped my time, so it feels good.”
Blue Springs sophomore Zac Clark recorded a first-place finish in the 500 freestyle. Teammate Justin Kelley placed third in the 500 and Blue South Springs South’s Zack Branch (second place) and Lucas Munoz (fourth place) also had good 500 swims.
“I went slower than what I wanted, but it still felt pretty good,” Clark said. “I have to get better for state.”
Blue Springs South finished third in the 200 freestyle relay with a time of 1:34.17 and fifth in the 200 medley relay with a time of 1:46.94, both good enough for state berths. South’s 400 freestyle relay team placed sixth with a time of 3:32.98, a smidgen short of qualifying for state.
“We did really, really well,” Jaguars head coach Errich Oberlander said. “I was impressed. We got our state cut in the (200) medley relay and the 200 free (relay). We missed it in the (400 freestyle relay), but we didn’t even have our four fastest guys in there.”
In the Suburban Big Six Championships finals, Truman had a decent showing Saturday at Henley, taking third with 201 points, while William Chrisman finished sixth with 87 points. Park Hill South took the Big Six title 597 points.
The Patriots’ Eric Van Fleet placed second in the diving competition with 373.70 points and teammate Sam Wilson placed eighth in the 100 butterfly and seventh in the 100 breaststroke.
“It’s frustrating because I got the flu two weeks ago and I was out for a week,” Wilson said. “I didn’t swim like I wanted to at all. I was seeded third coming into (Friday’s) preliminaries. I didn’t place like I wanted to.”
SUBURBAN BIG SEVEN CHAMPIONSHIPS
Finals
At Henley Aquatic Center
Team scores: 1. Blue Springs, 524; 2. Lee’s Summit North, 334; 3. Liberty, 325.5; 4. Blue Springs South, 276.5; 5. Lee’s Summit, 258; 6. St. Joseph Central, 226; 7. Raymore-Peculiar, 66.
Winners and area individual results (top eight in finals, Nos. 9-16 in consolation finals):
200-yard medley relay: 1. Liberty, 1:42.41; 2. Lee’s Summit North, 1:43.08; 3. Blue Springs, 1:45.09; 4. Lee’s Summit, 1:45.47; 5. Blue Springs South, 1:46.94.
200 freestyle: 1. Colin Hill, LIB, 1:45.37; 2. Jameson Wright, BS, 1:49.57; 3. Justin Kelley, BS, 1:53.67; 4. Nathan Mead, 1:54.21; 5. Tommy Bertken, LSN, 1:57.80; 6. Michael Herrick, LSN, 1:58.43; 8. David Andreasen, BSS, 1:59.79; 10. Christian Simpson, LS, 1:58.61; 12. Ben DeVilbiss, LS, 1:59.17; 13. Christian Balmer, BS, 1:59.48; 14. Shawn Betz, LSN, 2:01.77; 15. Jacob Burns, BSS, 2:04.97.
200 individual medley: 1. Bobby Faulkenberry, LSN, 2:01.32; Kyle Adams, LS, 2:05.20; 3. Danny Hynes, LSN, 2:07.04; 5. Zac Clark, BS, 2:10.94; 6. Mark Gutauskas, BS, 2:12.07; 7. Jeffrey Beck, LS, 2:15.83; 8. Jacob Leaderbrand, LS, 2:16.34; 9. Nick Stamos, BS, 2:17.08; 10. Devin Casey, BSS, 2:18.06; 11. Zane Wilmott, BS, 2:18.91; 13. Patrick Shami, LSN, 2:21.45; 14. Adrian Peabody, LS, 2:22.86.
50 freestyle: 1. Matthew Zieger, SJC, 21.75; 2. Aaron Anderson, BS, 22.39; 3. Nathan Dent, LSN, 22.87; 6. Ben Krekel, BSS, 23.46; 7. Shane Marine, BS, 23.55; 9. Justin Randolph, BS, 23.82; 10. Patrick Weber, BSS, 23.85; 11. Josh Fellers, BS, 23.87; 12. (tie) Arthur Davis, BSS, 23.98; 14. Dakota Ewigman, LS, 24.29; 15. Javier Carrasco, LSN, 24.44; 16. Michael Esry, LSN, 24.54.
100 butterfly: 1. Jameson Wright, BS, 54.37; 3. Danny Hynes, LSN, 57.86; 4. Cooper Flack, LS, 58.23; 5. Zach Pena, BS, 58.59; 6. Zack Branch, BSS, 58.86; 8. Matt Ivey, BS, 42.84; 9. Bobby Kordick, LSN, 59.31; 10. Jacob Leaderbrand, LS, 59.89; 11. Jordan Springer, BS, 1:00.29; 14. Jeremey Byard, BS, 1:03.13; 16. Lucas Munoz, BSS, 1:05.21.
100 freestyle: 1. Matthew Zieger, SJC, 47.86; 2. Aaron Anderson, BS, 49.60; 3. Nathan Dent, LSN, 50.84; 4. Nathan Mead, BS, 51.11; 5. Shane Marine, BS, 51.71; 6. David Andreasen, BSS, 52.83; 7. Ben DeVilbiss, LS, 52.90; 8. Arthur Davis, BS, 53.16; 9. Josh Fellers, BS, 52.08; 11. Christian Simpson, LS, 53.61; 14. Michael Esry, LSN, 54.35; 15. Tommy Berntken, LSN, 54.38; 16. Jacob Burns, BSS, 55.39.
500 freestyle: 1. Zac Clark, BS, 5:09.48; 2. Zack Branch, BSS, 5:11.26; 3. Justin Kelley, BS, 5:19.44; 4. Lucas Munoz, BSS, 5:20.19; 5. Bobby Kordick, LSN, 5:22.59; 7. Zane Wilmott, BS, 5:30.48; 8. Patrick Shami, LSN, 5:30.96; 9. Christian Balmer, BS, 5:33.52; 10. Brent Henderson, BSS, 5:42.67; 15. Logan Keeler, BSS, 6:01.10.
200 freestyle relay: 1. Blue Springs, 1:30.59; 3. Blue Springs South, 1:34.17; 4. Lee’s Summit, 1:35.79; 6. Lee’s Summit North, 1:36.99.
100 backstroke: 1. Bobby Faulkenberry, LSN, 54.44; 5. Javier Carrasco, LSN, 59.74; 6. Mark Gutauskas, BS, 59.78; 7. Matt Ivey, 1:01.03; 8. Jacob Belke, BS, 1:02.97; 9. Jordan Springer, BS, 59.60; 11. Dakota Ewigman, LS, 1:01.98; 12. Nick Stamos, BS, 1:02.53; 13. William Pecota, BSS, 1:03.85; 14. Brent Henderson, BSS, 1:05.00; 15. Seth Walz, LSN, 1:05.97.
100 breaststroke: 1. Colin Hill, LIB, 1:01.18; 2. Kyle Adams, LS, 1:02.81; 3. Shawn Betz, LSN, 1:05.37; 4. Marron Harris, BS, 1:05.84; 6. Jeffrey Beck, 1:08.15; 7. Michael Herrick, LSN, 1:08.23; 8. Austin Jett, BS, 1:08.53; 9. Austin Morse, BS, 1:09.66; 10. Patrick Weber, BSS, 1:09.90; 11. Nick Goetling, BS, 1:10.23; 14. Jake Deperalta, LS, 1:11.84; 16. Ryan Bears, LSN, 1:15.00.
400 freestyle relay: 1. Blue Springs, 3:21.98; 3. Lee’s Summit North, 3:24.59; 5. Lee’s Summit, 3:32.60; 6. Blue Springs South, 3:32.98.
One-meter diving: 1. Garret Nevels, LS, 407.30; 2. Drake Duckworth, LSN, 404.05; 3. Mark Schlenger, BS, 389.95; 4. John Oleson, BS, 364.10; 6. Max Engquist, LS, 355.85; 8. Levi Walker, BS, 283.10.
SUBURBAN BIG SIX CHAMPIONSHIPS
Finals
At Henley Aquatic Center
Team scores: 1. Park Hill, 597; 2. Park Hill South; 596, 3. Truman, 201; 4. Winnetonka, 199; 5. Oak Park, 107; 6. William Chrisman, 87.
Winners and area individual results (top eight in finals, Nos. 9-16 in consolation finals):
200-yard medley relay: 1. Park Hill South, 1:41.51; 3. Truman, 1:56.31; 4. William Chrisman, 2:17.76.
200 freestyle: 1. Alex Emery, PH, 1:49.94; 11. Barry Schmidt, T, 2:10.07; 12. Jacob Boman, T, 2:33.08; 13. Colin Bell, T, 2:39.90.
200 IM: 1. Grant Libra, PHS, 2:04.14; 10. Jacob Washburn, WC, 2:36.50; 11. Matthew Moorman, T, 2:42.83; 13. Derick Pement, T, 2:44.83.
50 freestyle: 1. Stephen Ross, W, 22.13; 14. Ray Williams, WC, 29.00.
100 butterfly: 1. Austin Cade, Park Hill South, 53.86; 8. Sam Wilson, 1:00.96; 12. Jacob Washburn, WC, 1:11.58; 13. Andrew Rick, T, 1:13.52.
100 freestyle: 1. Stephen Ross, W, 48.84; 13. Tyler Shupe, WC, 1:05.62; 14. Ryan Shupe, WC, 1:06.85; 15. John Williams, WC, 1:08.96.
500 freestyle: 1. Daniel Day, PHS, 4:58.59; 8. Andrew Rick, T, 5:55.33.
200 freestyle relay: 1. Park Hill, 1:31.56; 5. Truman, 1:44.31; 6. William Chrisman, 1:53.60.
100 backstroke: 1. Grant Libra, PHS, 56.68; 10. Michael Morris, T, 1:22.42; 11. Matthew Moorman, T, 1:27.43; 12. Colin Bell, T, 1:28.42; 13. Ryan Shupe, WC, 1:28.61; 14. Tyler Shupe, WC, 1:33.57.
100 breaststroke: 1. Bryce Kober, PHS, 1:04.90; 7. Sam Wilson, Truman, 1:09.62; 11. Barry Schmidt, T, 1:14.61; 12. Derick Pement, T, 1:18.32; 16. John Largent, T, 1:26.78.
400 freestyle relay: 1. Park Hill South, 3:19.75; 4. Truman, 4:34.42.
One-meter diving: 1. Toby Parker, PH, 379.55; 2. Eric Van Fleet, T, 373.70.
