State swim notes: Independent is smallest school to win title. East has king of speed

Wichita has the tiniest champion and the king of speed.

Here is a recap of the 2020 Kansas high school boys swimming and diving state meet in Topeka on Saturday and how Wichita fit in:

‘Why not them?’: Independent wins first championship

Coffeyville and Bishop Miege were considered small, but Wichita Independent reset the bar at Topeka’s Capitol Federal Natatorium on Saturday.

Independent became the smallest school to win a Kansas high school boys state swimming and diving meet, topping the Class 5-1A standings over Kapaun Mt. Carmel.

For context, the Panthers compete in Class 2A in football. Coffeyville (1948-55) and Miege (2014) were the two previous smallest winners at Class 4A.

Independent brought only six swimmers to state, and because of that lack of depth, coach Mitchell Wagner said it was the first meet his team has won all season.

During the regular season, Independent couldn’t field multiple relay teams, so its team scores took a dive. At state, the Panthers brought one team of four for each of the three relays. They won two of them and set a state record in the 400-yard freestyle relay at 3 minutes, 11.60 seconds in the preliminary rounds.

“For a school of our size, this is unheard of,” senior Edward Sturm said. “Going into that 400 relay, knowing we had the points in the barn, we were able to swim freely, win that race and take our goal. We have been looking forward to this for four years. I means so much.”

Wagner said many of this year’s top swimmers came to Independent as kindergarteners. They developed into solid athletes and eventually state champions.

Senior Aidan Scott arrived a little later. Scott, who came to the area as a sixth-grader, stood atop the podium four times Saturday, including back-to-back in the 50-yard freestyle and 100-yard butterfly.

Sturm won twice. Junior George Jekov made it three times, and his sophomore brother, Daniel, reached the top twice, as well.

Scott said the stars just aligned for this meet.

“I came into this my freshman year, seeing all these fast swimmers and thinking, ‘Woah, I hope that some day I can get up to that,’” Scott said. “This being my senior year, looking back and seeing that we are those people, it feels really good.”

When senior Aidan Scott and Sturm were freshmen, Independent finished the state meet with just seven team points — 29th place. Neither swimmer so much as reached a championship heat.

On Saturday, the Panthers won six events. They had five other entrants finish in the top three and another make top five. Fourth place was their worst finish in any event.

“People don’t see what it takes in swimming,” Wagner said. “You’ve gotta be there every day. You can’t miss days. You have to be there, bought in. I’m in there screaming at them at 6:30 in the morning. It takes a lot.”

Independent finished third overall to take home the first swim trophy in school history. The Panthers finished the meet just 11 points behind winner Wichita Heights.

Independent brought just six swimmers to state last year, too. They weren’t quite as dominant, finishing in the top three in four events and not winning any. Still, last season’s showing earned Independent All-Metro honors in the 100-yard butterfly, 200-yard freestyle relay and a coach of the year award. None of those All-Metro honorees graduated, and all swam at state again Saturday.

Independent followed the model of Bishop Carroll’s girls championship team from last year. The Eagles won their first girls swim title in school history in 2019 with only seven at state.

Independent’s first swim state championship is the school’s first in any sport since winning the Class 3A baseball title in 2017. It is the fourth title in school history to go along with a pair of boys tennis championships.

“I got to coach some of these guys when they were 10 or 11 years old, so to see this, I don’t know why, but it came together,” Wagner said. “They created their own vision.

“You ask ‘Why us?’ I ask, ‘Why not them?’ ”

Ring the Bell: East sophomore up to 3 individual titles

After winning his second 50-yard freestyle in two tries, Drayden Bell poked two fingers out of the pool.

A few minutes later, he doubled down and won the 100-yard freestyle a year after coming second best to another freshman last year. The four-peat is still alive for one of Kansas’ most promising athletes in the state’s fastest race.

But that’s not exactly what he is chasing.

“I’m going for the record,” Bell said. “My senior goal is try to go a 19 (seconds.) We’ll see if that happens. It’s a high goal, and I’m willing to take the sacrifice to try to get it.”

Blue Valley North’s Sam Disette set the Class 6A state record in the 50 free at 20.09 seconds. He now swims at the University of Alabama. Bell won his second individual title at 20.53 seconds, meaning he is already less than a half second away from the record with two years left at East.

Although Bell’s 50 was perhaps the most exciting moment of the day for Wichita area swim fans, he said he was more happy with winning the 100-yard freestyle.

Last year, Bell lost to Lawrence Free State’s Benjamin Vorthmann by 0.46 seconds. Vorthmann wasn’t in the field Saturday, but Bell said that didn’t take away from his excitement.

“It was a good, satisfying feeling to be able to redeem myself and take that 100,” Bell said. “I wanted to go just a little bit faster on that 50, but I’m not crying about it. I still cut (time.)“

Bell’s two individual titles in 2020 make for three in his young Aces career, and they earned him Most Outstanding Swimmer of the Meet honors.

Class 5-1A results

Team standings

1. Wichita Independent, 273
2. McPherson, 182
3. Kapaun Mt. Carmel, 180
4. Andover Central, 177
5. Topeka Seaman, 142
6. St. James Academy, 138
7. Maize South, 116
8. Maize, 111
9. Blue Valley Southwest, 110
10. Bishop Carroll, 102

Diving

1. Reed Slayden, Emporia, Sr., 450.8
2. Isaac Frost, Salina South, Sr., 377.2
3. Kyle Eck, Bishop Carroll, Sr., 342.25
4. Kaleb Clayton, Wichita Northwest, Fr., 336.55
5. Jaxon Trower, Bishop Carroll, So., 336.15
6. Alex Linenberger, Salina South, Sr., 324.85
7. Brian Taylor, Salina South, Sr., 318.6
8. David Kilpatrick, El Dorado, Jr., 301.6

200-yard medley relay

1. Independent (Daniel Jekov, So.; Matthew Janssen, So.; Aidan Scott, Sr.; Edward Sturm, Sr.), 1:38.07
2. Kapaun Mt. Carmel (Jackson Burrus, So.; Tommy Higgins, So.; Cole Wagner, Sr.; Austin Schmidt, So.), 1:40.26
3. Topeka Seaman (Stephen Reed, Jr.; Noah Florence, Jr.; Colin O’Rourke, Fr.; Devin Appelhanz, Sr.), 1:42.29
4. St. James Academy (Nathaniel Leckamp, Fr.; John Amrein, Jr.; Adam Orel, Jr.; Coleman Haarhuis, Sr.), 1:42.78
5. Andover Central (PJ Damico, So.; Noah Krueger, Fr. Lucas Krueger, So.; Beau Blankenship, Fr.), 1:42.82
6. Blue Valley Southwest (Jack Hanahan, Fr.; Yaseen El-Demerdash, Jr.; Jacob Carnes, Sr.; Zeb Sarvis, Sr.), 1:45.23
7. Salina South (Keegan Exline, Jr.; Brian Taylor Sr.; Kyle Iselin, Jr.; Alex Linenberger, Sr.), 1:45.29
8. Andover (Sam Ellis, Fr.; Mo Mirosodikov, Sr.; Luc Diefenbach, Jr.; Henry Gott, So.), 1:46.04

200-yard freestyle

1. George Jekov, Independent, Jr., 1:43.19
2. Justus Hampton, McPherson, Sr., 1:43.76
3. Quade Harris, Bishop Carroll, So., 1:46.00
4. Nick Rost, Salina Central, Sr., 1:46.28
5. David Koster, Trinity Academy, Sr., 1:48.69
6. Austin Schmidt, Kapaun Mt. Carmel, So., 1:49.30
7. Matthew Powers, McPherson, Jr., 1:51.91
8. Cody Achilles, McPherson, Jr., 1:56.58

200-yard individual medley

1. John Amrein, St. James Academy, Jr., 1:53.13
2. Nathan Chan, Wichita Classical, Sr., 1:58.43
3. Noah Florence, Topeka Seaman, Jr., 1:59.75
4. Matthew Janssen, Independent, So., 1:59.77
5. Tommy Higgins, Kapaun Mt. Carmel, So., 2:01.16
6. Jackson Burrus, Kapaun Mt. Carmel, So., 2:02.66
7. Lucas Krueger, Andover Central, So., 2:02.68
8. Luke Taylor, Maize, So., 2:04.24

50-yard freestyle

1. Aidan Scott, Independent, Sr., 21.11
2. Brandon Spielman, Clay Center, Sr., 21.66
3. Greyson Walker, Lansing, Jr., 21.95
4. Brandon Bowles, Maize South, Jr., 22.35
5. Adam Sandid, Collegiate, Fr., 22.38
6. Josh Slansky, Chanute, Sr., 22.40
7. Bryce Nelson, Maize, Sr., 22.50
8. Reid Richardson, Maize South, Jr., 22.56

100-yard butterfly

1. Aidan Scott, Independent, Sr., 50.67
2. Edward Sturm, Independent, Sr., 52.39
3. Curtis Springer, Leavenworth, Sr., 53.77
4. Cole Wagner, Kapaun Mt. Carmel, Sr., 53.87
5. PJ Damico, Andover Central, So., 54.59
6. Adam Orel, St. James Academy, Jr., 55.19
7. Calvin Denson, KC Turner, So.; Luke Perkins, Shawnee Heights, Fr., 55.89

100-yard freestyle

1. William Powers, McPherson, Sr., 46.60
2. Greyson Walker, Lansing, Jr., 47.87
3. Nick Rost, Salina Central, Sr., 48.08
4. Brandon Spielman, Clay Center, Sr., 48.17
5. Adam Sandid, Collegiate, Fr., 48.36
6. Quade Harris, Bishop Carroll, So., 48.64
7. Devin Appelhanz, Topeka Seaman, Sr., 49.72
8. Brandon Bowles, Maize South, Jr., 50.12

500-yard freestyle

1. George Jekov, Independent, Jr., 4:48.06
2. Justus Hampton, Independent, Sr., 4:48.26
3. Daniel Jekov, Independent, So., 4:53.90
4. Lucas Krueger, Andover Central, So., 4:54.94
5. Luke Taylor, Maize, So., 4:57.11
6. David Koster, Trinity Academy, Sr., 4:58.48
7. Adin Florence, Topeka Seaman, Fr., 5:02.35
8. Yaseen El-Demerdash, Blue Valley Southwest, Jr., 5:04.13

200-yard freestyle relay

1. McPherson (William Powers, Sr.; Rhys Vanderhoof, Jr.; Matthew Powers, Jr.; Justus Hampton, Sr.), 1:28.22
2. Independent (George Jekov, Jr.; Matthew Janssen, So.; Jashua Jacobsen, Jr.; Edward Sturm, Sr.) 1:30.24
3. St. James Academy (Aidan Jones, Jr.; Adam Orel, Jr.; Dylan Feist, Sr.; John Amrein, Jr.), 1:30.49
4. Maize South (Reid Richardson, Jr.; Skyler Snow, Jr.; Eli Stucky, Jr.; Brandon Bowles, Jr.), 1:32.24
5. Lansing (Nathan Spickelmier, Sr.; Vianney Verzola, Jr.; Antonio DePaolis, Fr.; Greyson Walker, Jr.), 1:32.66
6. Andover Central (Luke Cole, Sr.; Jackson Ward, Jr.; Ryan Crowley, Jr.; Beau Blankenship, Fr.), 1:33.45
7. Maize (Luke Taylor, So.; Joshua Osborne, Jr.; Joshua Sprowls, Jr.; Bryce Nelson, Sr.), 1:33.55
8. Andover (Sam Ellis, Fr.; Luc Diefenbach, Jr.; Duncan McNeil, Jr.; Mo Mirosodikov, Sr.), 1:33.61

100-yard backstroke

1. William Powers, McPherson, Sr., 53.35
2. Jackson Burrus, Kapaun Mt. Carmel, So., 54.97
3. Daniel Jekov, Indpendent, So., 55.26
4. Luc Difenbach, Andover, Jr., 55.60
5. Kyle Iselin, Salina South, Jr., 55.66
6. PJ Damico, Andover Central, So., 56.10
7. Luke Perkins, Shawnee Heights, Fr., 56.92
8. Tyler Stein, Great Bend, So., 59.01

100-yard breaststroke

1. John Amrein, St. James Academy, Jr., 56.04
2. Nathan Chan, Wichita Classical, Sr., 59.40
3. Noah Florence, Topeka Seaman, Jr., 1:00.70
4. Matthew Janssen, Independent, So., 1:00.78
5. Charles Hsu, Andover Central, Sr., 1:01.47
6. Tommy Higgins, Kapaun Mt. Carmel, So., 1:01.62
7. Joseph Gadalla, Collegiate, So., 1:02.66
8. Noah Krueger, Andover Central, Fr., 1:02.76

400-yard freestyle relay

1. Independent (Aidan Scott, Sr.; Daniel Jekov, So.; George Jekov, Jr.; Edward Sturm, Sr.), 3:12.05
2. McPherson (Justus Hampton, Sr.; Matthew Powers, Jr.; Rhys Vanderhoof, Jr.; William Powers, Sr.), 3:14.62
3. Maize South (Brandon Bowles, Jr.; Regan Richardson, Fr.; Eli Stucky, Jr.; Reid Richardson, Jr.), 3:21.79
4. Kapaun Mt. Carmel (Cole Wagner, Sr.; Daniel Samsel, Sr.; Tommy Higgins, So.; Austin Schmidt, So.), 3:22.92
5. Maize (Luke Taylor, So.; Britton Beggs, Sr.; Joshua Sprowls, Jr.; Bryce Nelson, Sr.), 3:25.06
6. Andover Central (PJ Damico, So.; Noah Krueger, Fr.; Charles Hsu, Sr.; Lucas Krueger, So.), 3:25.36
7. Topeka Seaman (Devin Appelhanz, Sr.; Daniel Ramirez, Fr.; Adin Florence, Fr.; Noah Florence, Jr.), 3:25.55
8. Blue Valley Southwest (Tyler Specht, Jr.; Zeb Sarvis, Sr.; Jared Barber, Fr.; Yaseen El-Demerdash, Jr.), 3:27.20

Full Class 5-1A results

Class 6A results

Team standings

1. Blue Valley West, 345
2. Olathe East, 344
3. Shawnee Mission East, 191
4. Blue Valley North, 186
5. Lawrene Free State, 160
6. Wichita East, 152
7. Washburn Rural, 121
8. Shawnee Mission North, 108
9. Olathe Northwest, 100
10. Blue Valley Northwest, 84

Diving

1. Will Frankel, Shawnee Mission West, Sr., 464.60
2. Elliott Ahlvers, Free State, Fr., 390.45
3. Spencer Eyen, Blue Valley North, So., 384.30
4. Jacob Held, Shawnee Mission South, Sr., 384.05
5. Hunter Cooper, Shawnee Mission East, Sr., 383.95
6. Zeke Kohl, Manhattan, So., 371.50
7. Carson Kinsch, Olathe East, So., 370.45
8. Daniel Bernal, Wichita North, Fr., 370.00

200-yard medley relay

1. Olathe East (Aidan Walters, Sr.; Philip Costello, Sr.; Micah Leslie, So.; Jack Gabrielson, Sr.), 1:34.16
2. Blue Valley West (Kevin Glenn, Jr.; Chase Lane, Sr.; Jason Garlett, Sr.; Philip Dailey, Sr.), 1:34.95
3. Blue Valley North (Richie Stewart, Sr.; Joe Campagnuolo, Sr.; Will Shertenlieb, Jr.; Sean North, Sr.), 1:36.59
4. Free State (Alexander Moore, So.; Riley Sirimongkhon-Dyck, Jr.; Reilley Moore, Jr.; Brady Flynn, Jr.), 1:37.59
5. Shawnee Mission East (James Schipfer, So.; Michael McAlister, Sr.; Werner Burundige, Sr.; Andrew Fey, Jr.), 1:37.87
6. Blue Valley Northwest (Caleb Musser, Jr.; Joshua Li, Jr.; Evan Clark, So.; Logan Beaman, Sr.), 1:41.82
7. Wichita Heights (Gus Denneler, Sr.; Javan Titus, So.; Evan Jensen, Jr.; Austin Russell, Sr.), 1:41.92
8. Olathe South (Logan Smith, Fr.; Ian Wiley, Sr.; Sam Stoeck, Jr.; Mac Clemmons, Jr.), 1:41.93

200-yard freestyle

1. Harry Tjaden, Olathe East, Sr., 1:41.75
2. Hunter Rey, Blue Valley West, Jr., 1:43.14
3. Aidan Walters, Olathe East, Sr., 1:43.99
4. Keaton Kristoff, Olathe East, So., 1:45.24
5. Trey Smith, Shawnee Mission North, Sr., 1:45.49
6. Trevor Sinclair, Blue Valley West, Sr., 1:45.94
7. Sam Pankratz, Blue Valley West, Jr., 1:46.05
8. Sam Foster, Blue Valley West, Jr., 1:47.82

200-yard individual medley

1. Kevin Glenn, Blue Valley West, Jr., 1:54.27
2. Reilley Moore, Free State, Jr., 1:55.99
3. Philip Costello, Olathe East, Sr., 1:56.17
4. Richie Stewart, Blue Valley North, 1:58.06
5. Jason Ooten, Wichita East, Sr., 1:59.39
6. Riley Sirimongkhon-Dyck, Free State, Jr., 2:00.49
7. Jack Gabrielson, Olathe East, Sr., 2:00.80
8. James Schipfer, Shawnee Mission East, So., 2:01.75

50-yard freestyle

1. Drayden Bell, Wichita East, So., 20.53
2. Sean North, Blue Valley North, Sr., 20.75
3. Caleb Mussser, Blue Valley Northwest, Jr., 20.81
4. Scott Klein, Shawnee Mission Northwest, 20.93
5. Micah Leslie, Olthe East, So., 21.42
6. Andrew Fey, Shawnee Mission East, Jr., 22.07
7. Dagen Clouse, Washburn Rural, 22.10
8. Anthony Molinaro, Mill Valley, Fr., 22.43

100-yard butterfly

1. Reilley Moore, Free State, Jr., 49.62
2. Hunter Rey, Blue Valley West, Jr., 51.01
3. Richie Stewart, Blue Valley North, Sr., 51.49
4. Micah Leslie, Olathe East, So., 52.12
5. Jason Garlett, Blue Valley West, Sr., 52.56
6. Trey Smith, Shawnee Mission North, Sr., 52.86
7. Jordan Weve, Derby, 53.84
8. Will Shertenlieb, Blue Valley North, Jr., 54.67

100-yard freestyle

1. Drayden Bell, Wichita East, So., 45.69
2. Sean North, Blue Valley North, Sr., 46.26
3. Caleb Musser, Blue Valley Northwest, Jr., 46.37
4. Scott Klein, Shawnee Mission Northwest, Sr., 47.53
5. Colby Beggs, Mill Valley, Sr., 48.83
6. Ian Wiley, Olathe South, Sr., 48.97
7. Bo Kimmel, Shawnee Mission East, 49.53
8. Finn VanDyke, Free State, Jr., 49.77

500-yard freestyle

1. Harry Tjaden, Olathe East, Sr., 4:35.83
2. Sam Foster, Blue Valley West, Jr., 4:43.06
3. Sam Pankratz, Blue Valley West, Jr., 4:49.00
4. Trevor Sinclair, Blue Valley West, Sr., 4:49.17
5. Keaton Kristoff, Olathe East, So., 4:50.98
6. Kristopher Fritsch, Washburn Rural, Sr., 4:54.89
7. Brendon Chadd, Campus, Jr., 4:59.21
8. Tyler Jones, Lawrence, Jr., 5:01.26
   
   

200-yard freestyle relay

1. Olathe East (Jack Gabrielson, Sr.; Luke Hagan, Jr.; Harry Tjaden, Sr.; Micach Leslie, So.), 1:26.90
2. Blue Valley West (Trevor Sinclair, Sr.; Philip Dailey, Sr.; Sam Foster, Jr.; Hunter Rey, Jr.), 1:27.05
3. Blue Valley North (Sean North, Sr.; Alexander Houts, So.; Colin Gaebler, Jr.; Richie Stewart, Sr.), 1:27.23
4. Wichita East (Jason Ooten, Sr.; Cooper Cole, Jr.; Kendrick Pham, Sr.; Drayden Bell, So.), 1:28.03
5. Free State (Riley Sirimongkhon-Dyck, Jr.; Matthew Reimer, Jr.; Brady Flynn, Jr.; Reilley Moore, Jr.), 1:28.94
6. Shawnee Mission East (Bo Kimmel, So.; Sean Battey, Sr.; Walter Honnold, Sr.; Andrew Fey, Jr.), 1:29.38
7. Shawnee Mission North (Trey Smith, Sr.; Harden Bodt, Sr.; Cameron Lee, So.; Junior Lopez, Fr.), 1:30.18
8. Shawnee Mission Northwest (Alex Savinkov, So.; Brian Harrell, Jr.; Scott Klein, Sr.; Alex Duewel, Jr.), 1:30.41

100-yard backstroke

1. Kevin Glenn, Blue Valley West, Jr., 50.26
2. Aidan Walters, Olathe East, Sr., 51.82
3. Isaac Hadorn, Wichita North, Sr., 52.49
4. James Schipfer, Shawnee Mission East, So., 53.61
5. Kyler Lamb, Washburn Rural, Sr., 53.83
6. Harrison Mallory, Olathe Northwest, Sr., 54.54
7. Lucas Laufer, Wichita East, Jr., 55.72
8. Werner Burundige, Shawnee Mission East, Sr., 55.96

100-yard breaststroke

1. Philip Costello, Olathe East, Sr., 56.62
2. Chase Lane, Blue Valley West, Sr., 57.89
3. Jason ooten, Wichita East, Sr., 59.37
4. Philip Dailey, Blue Valley West, Sr., 59.51
5. Jack Gabrielson, Olathe East, Sr., 59.63
6. Riley Sirimongkhon-Dyck, Free State, Jr., 1:00.48
7. Ian Wiley, Olathe South, Sr., 1:00.89
8. Owen Krussow, Shawnee Mission South, Jr., 1:01.02

400-yard freestyle relay

1. Olathe East (Keaton Kristoff, So.; Harry Tjaden, Sr.; Aidan Walters, Sr.; Philip Costello, Sr.), 3:08.92
2. Blue Valley West (Trevor Sinclair, Sr.; Sam Pankratz, Jr.; Kevin Glenn, Jr.; Hunter Rey, Jr.), 3:09.26
3. Wichita East (Cooper Cole, Jr.; Kendrick Pham, Sr.; Jason Ooten, Sr.; Drayden Bell, So.), 3:15.91
4. Washburn Rural (Dagen Clouse, So.; Kristopher Fritsch, Sr.; Nathen Trachta, So.; Kyler Lamb, Sr.), 3:17.10
5. Shawnee Mission North (Cameron Lee, So.; Ryan McMillin, Sr.; Junior Lopez, Fr.; Trey Smith, Sr.), 3:19.31
6. Shawnee Mission East (Bo Kimmel, So.; Andrew Fey, Jr.; Walter Honnold, Sr.; James Schipfer, So.), 3:20.69
7. Blue Valley Northwest (Evan Clark, So.; Joshua Li, Jr.; Logan Beaman, Sr.; Caleb Musser, Jr.), 3:21.71
8. Olathe Northwest (Ashton Weaver, Sr.; Andrew Evans, So.; Daniel Wheatman, Sr.; Harrison Mallory, Sr.), 3:22.59

This story was originally published February 22, 2020 at 2:51 PM.

Hayden Barber

The Wichita Eagle

316-269-6760

Wichita Eagle preps reporter Hayden Barber brings the area updates on all high school sports while adding those hard-to-find human-interest stories on Wichita’s student-athletes.