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Wichita North's Hannah Silverthorne celebrates with head coach Megan Von Fange after qualifying for state in the 100 yard freestyle event at the City League swim meet Thursday evening. (Photo by Kelly Glasscock)
North swimmers take City League title
BY DERRICK MEAD
Wichita Eagle correspondent
Megan Von Fange may only be in her second season as North's swimming coach, but she is well aware of the team's history.
The Redskins hadn't won a City League championship since 1988.
That 20-year drought ended Thursday night at Northwest, as North was able to run away with the league title, using its superior depth to cruise to victory.
"It was finally our time to take it," Von Fange said. "Our depth has been phenomenal all year. We didn't want to overlook anybody but knew that if we stepped up and came out strong, we'd have a good shot at taking it."
Elizabeth Strother (100-and 200-yard freestyle) and McKenzie Strother (50-and 500-yard freestyle) were dominant, each winning two events on their own and combining to help win two relays for the Redskins.
"The Strother sisters were just huge for us," Von Fange said. "We needed them to be big, and they were. Our relays were all really big for us, as well."
"Everything counts at an important meet like this," she added. "We should be looking pretty strong heading into state. Hopefully coming off this, we can do pretty well there."
North finished with 280 total team points on the evening.
Northwest (221) narrowly slipped past Kapaun Mount Carmel (219.5) to finish in second place.
The Grizzlies set four school records along the way.
"That's the first time I can remember seeing that happen in one night, and I've been coaching quite awhile," Northwest coach Doug Vannaman.
"It was a great night overall," he said. "We knew it'd be close there (with Kapaun), but I wasn't sure just how close."
Nikki Daniels took top honors in the 100-yard breaststroke for Northwest.
Despite finishing third as a team, Kapaun was unable to win any races.
Bailey Beins of Heights set a new league record (56.09) in the 100-yard butterfly.
Beins also won the 100-yard backstroke.
City League meet
Team results -- 1. North 280, 2. Northwest 221, 3. Kapaun Mount Carmel 219 ½, 4. East 183; 5. Heights 176; 6. Southeast 97; 7. Bishop Carroll 60, 8. South 47 ½; 9. West 18.
Individual results
200 medley relay -- 1. North (E. Strother, Kraemer, Vignatelli, M. Strother) 1:52.89; 2. Heights 1;54.62; 3. Northwest 1:55.27; 4. East 2:00.97; 5. Southeast 2:01.23; 6. Kapaun Mount Carmel 2:04.33. 200 freestyle -- 1. E. Strother, North, 2:02.11; 2. Silverthorne, North, 2:05.36; 3. Baudouin, Kapaun, 2:09.71; 4. Stucky, Heights, 2:10.82; 5. Russell, Northwest, 2:14.58; 6. Hall, Kapaun, 2:17.19. 200 individual medley -- 1. Olson, Southeast, 2:11.93; 2. Vignatelli, North, 2:13.44; 3. Daniels, Northwest, 2:13.68; 4. Lent, North, 2:23.30; 5. Lahey, Kapaun, 2:24.82; 6. Patterson, Heights, 2:38.57. 50 freestyle -- 1. M. Strother, North, 25.61; 2. McPherron, Northwest, 26.51; 3. Gaulding, Kapaun, 26.52; 4. Atkins, Northwest, 26.66; 5. Kraemer, North, 26.71; 6. Bonds, Southeast, 27.08. Diving -- 1. McKevery, Northwest, 384.05; 2. Skaer, East, 375.00; 3. Coopersmith, Northwest, 282.80; 4. Roncone, South, 211.40. 100 butterfly -- 1. Beins, Heights, 56.09; 2. Olson, Southeast, 59.17; 3. Vignatelli, North, 59.41; 4. Lent, North, 1:03.41; 5. Schmidt, East, 1:04.00; 6. McGreevy, Kapaun, 1:04.03. 100 freestyle -- 1. E. Strother, North, 55.15; 2. Silverthorne, North, 56.97; 3. Atkins, Northwest, 57.36; 4. Gaulding, Kapaun, 57.47; 5. Shinsato, East, 58.49; 6. Russell, Northwest, 59.97. 500 freestyle -- 1. M. Strother, North, 5:26.25; 2. Withers, Southeast, 5:40.52; 3. McGreevy, Kapaun, 5:45.20; 4. Baudouin, Kapaun, 5:59.68; 5. Glenn, Heights, 6:02.00; 6. Hall, Kapaun, 6:06.32. 200 freestyle relay -- 1. North (Lent, Tice, Kraemer, Silverthorne) 1:46.58; 2. Kapaun 1:48.98; 3. East 1:49.87; 4. Heights 1:52.38; 5. Northwest 1:52.88; 6. Bishop Carroll 1:58.66. 100 backstroke -- 1. Beins, Heights, 56.32; 2. Aaby, Northwest, 1:04.15; 3. B. Stucky, Heights, 1:05.10; 4. L. Stucky, 1:05.55; 5. Shinsato, East, 1:05.74; 6. Lahey, Kapaun, 1:06.73. 100 breaststroke -- 1. Daniels, Northwest, 1:05.52; 2. Kraemer, North, 1:12.04; 3. Schmidt, East, 1:14.06; 4. Glenn, Heights, 1:14.65; 5. Najim, East, 1:15.96; 6. Zehr, North, 1:18.19. 400 freestyle relay -- 1. North (Vignatelli, Silverthorne, M. Strother, E. Strother) 3:43.23; 2. Northwest 3:50.62; 3. Kapaun 3:54.16; 4. Heights 4:03.24; 5. East 4:21.59; 6. Bishop Carroll 4:33.86.
