Heights’ Gantenbein beats Trinity’s Patton is all-Wichita battle at 5-1A swimming
Aidan Gantenbein may have been the fastest qualifier on Friday in the 100-yard backstroke at the Class 5-1A state swimming championships.
But convincing the Heights junior that he was the favorite in the event, well, that was going to take some doing.
“Going in, I knew I was the underdog,” Gantenbein said.
He had justification for that feeling going, knowing to win his first state title he would have to dethrone two-time defending state champion Ben Patton of Trinity Academy.
After Saturday, however, Gantenbein can change his thinking. Dueling Patton from start to finish, Gantenbein did indeed uphold his qualifying position, topping the Knight junior for the state title.
Gantenbein led by .01 seconds after 50 yards, but managed to hold off Patton during the second half of the race, winning in 50.97 seconds, .15 second ahead of Patton.
“It’s just crazy,” Gantenbein said. “Going into the race, that’s where he always got me. This time I stuck with him and after that, I thought, ‘This is doable. I can win this.’ ”
Gantenbein said he got a hint that Saturday could be his day when he and Patton reached the starting blocks. Usually the two strike up a friendly conversation, but this time Gantenbein thought Patton was unusually quiet.
“He was quiet as a mouse,” Gantenbein said. “I think even though he’s gone faster before, just beating him (Friday) put it in his head that he got beat.”
Patton felt he was in great position when the two made the first 50 so close. But instead of mustering his typical strong finish, Patton couldn’t find his closing kick.
“I had no doubt because he was right there and I usually finish faster than I start,” Patton said. “My mind just went completely off in trying to focus on my stroke. I was focusing all on him and was he going to catch me and pass me. I needed to be more focused on my race, not his.
“I’m glad Aidan won because he’s been working so hard for this. He was so happy and that was really great for him.”
Despite seeing his two-year reign in the backstroke come to an end, Patton found some consolation in getting back the 200 individual medley title he won as a freshman before taking second a year ago. Far and away the top qualifier on Friday, Patton’s only uncertainty was whether he’d be able to get the meet record in the event he coveted.
Though he gave it a good run, Patton fell short of the 1:49.50 set by Newton’s David Winter in 2007. Patton’s winning time of 1:50.26 was more than six seconds ahead of Saturday’s runner-up.
“I liked how the IM went until I died at the end on the freestyle,” Patton said, attributing his fade to missing a week of practice late in the season due to illness. “I was better than I expected to be time-wise, but I wasn’t where I felt I could be if I’d been fully healthy this season. I’ve gone below that record time at least three times, so I think I could have gone it. Definitely next year as long as no roadblocks pop up.”
Gantenbein also added a runner-up finish in the 100 freestyle, finishing in 46.47 seconds behind Miege’s Lex Hernandez-Nietling (45.84). He also teamed with Carson Hager, Noah Thompson and Connor Buller for a third in the 200 medley relay and with Thompson, Kamren Hall and Ethan Jensen for sixth in the 400 freestyle relay.
Heights also posted a fifth in the 200 free relay with Hager, Buller, Jensen and Thompson, while Hall took fifth in the 500 freestyle and the Falcons finished fourth as a team, just seven points away from third.
After taking runner-up to a senior a year ago, Carroll’s Logan Carter fully expected to be atop the medal stand in 5-1A diving this year. But a rough day on Friday wound up costing the Eagle junior and he fell just short as Salina South’s Keetan Munsell put together a strong meet to win with 409.30 points, just more than 10 ahead of Carter’s 399.25 total.
“I was thinking it was going to be me taking the title this year, but (Munsell) kind of came out of nowhere,” said Carter, who scored 30 more points than he did a year ago. “This was his first year and he did really well. The better diver won. The first day was OK, but day two wasn’t my best. I came back with my best today.”
Independent’s Aidan Scott posted a pair of top-four finishes, taking third in the 100 butterfly and fourth in the 50 freestyle.
This story was originally published February 17, 2018 at 3:20 PM with the headline "Heights’ Gantenbein beats Trinity’s Patton is all-Wichita battle at 5-1A swimming."