All-Metro swimming + diving: Introducing top high school boys from Wichita area
.JPG "Wichita Independent state championship boys swimming and diving team (left to right): Coach Mitchell Wagner, junior Joshua Jacobsen, sophomore Matthew Janssen, senior Edward Sturm, senior Aidan Scott, junior George Jekov and sophomore Daniel Jekov.")
The All-Metro teams are made up of the top high school athletes from Sedgwick, Butler and Harvey counties.
Here is the 2020 All-Metro boys swimming and diving team.
200-Yard Medley Relay
Independent - Daniel Jekov, So.; Matthew Janssen, So.; Aidan Scott, Sr.; Edward Sturm, Sr.
Independent started the state meet as it finished: on top.
The Panthers’ 200 medley relay team won the Class 5-1A title at 1:38.07, more than a half-second quicker than its No. 4 regular season time in Kansas.
200-Yard Freestyle
George Jekov, Independent, Jr.
Jekov had the No. 7 regular season time in Kansas in the 200 free, but his time at state would have been the best in Kansas.
Jekov won the Class 5-1A 200 free at 1:43.19, almost four seconds faster than his regular-season time. He also won the 500 free at 4:48.06.
200-Yard Individual Medley
Nathan Chan, Classical, Sr.
Chan became Classical’s first All-Metro selection in school history last year, and he is back on this year’s team, too.
Chan finished runner-up in the Class 5-1A 200 IM at 1:58.43, more than a full second faster than his top regular-season mark, which was No. 7 in Kansas.
50-Yard Freestyle
Aidan Scott, Independent, Sr.
Scott was the engine behind Independent’s first boys swim team title, and he was arguably the best athlete in Class 5-1A this year.
Scott won the 50-yard freestyle, 100 fly and was part of the title-winning 200 medley and 400 free relay teams. His time in the 50 free came in at 21.11.
Diving
Kolby Adams, Wichita heights, Sr.
Adams and junior teammate Tate Harrison were two of the best divers in the Wichita area this season, but only one could land on the All-Metro team.
Adams finished 13th at the Class 5-1A state meet in Topeka with a score of 354.15. He won the City League title at 421.8.
100-Yard Butterfly
Edward Sturm, Independent, Sr.
Sturm was one of the emotional leaders of Independent’s first boys swim state championship team.
One of the top seniors in Kansas, he had the No. 7 regular-season time in the 100 fly at 52.62 and bettered that time to finish second in Class 5-1A at 52.39 — behind only teammate and fellow senior Aidan Scott.
100-Yard Freestyle
Drayden Bell, Wichita East, So.
The fastest swimmer in Kansas got even faster in his sophomore year.
Last year, Bell won the Class 6A 50-yard freestyle as a freshman. He won it again in 2020, but he lands on this year’s All-Metro team in the 100-yard free after winning his first individual title in that event at 45.69, more than a half-second ahead of the field.
500-Yard Freestyle
Daniel Jekov, Independent, So.
Only a sophomore, Jekov had the No. 3 time in Kansas’ longest recorded race this season.
Jekov won the Class 5-1A 500 free at 4:48.06, which was more than six seconds faster than his No. 3 time in the state. He was also part of Independent’s first team title in boys swim.
200-Yard Freestyle Relay
Wichita East - Jason Ooten, Sr.; Cooper Cole, Jr.; Kendrick Pham, Sr.; Drayden Bell, So.
East came in fourth at state but had the No. 2 time in Kansas in the 200 free relay.
The Aces posted a 1:28.60 in the regular season and finished in 1:28.03 at state. East’s 200 free relay team also won the City League title at 1:28.72.
100-Yard Backstroke
Isaac Hadorn, Wichita North, Sr.
Hadorn is arguably the best boys swimmer in recent history.
After landing on last year’s All-Metro team, he joins this year’s team in the 100 back after finishing third in Class 6A at 52.49 seconds. He also had the No. 3 time in Kansas during the regular season and won the City League title at 53.49.
100-Yard Breaststroke
Jason Ooten, Wichita East, Sr.
Ooten had the No. 4 100 breast time in Kansas during the regular season at 58.97 seconds.
He finished third in Class 6A this year at 59.37 and is also part of East’s 200 free relay All-Metro team.
400-Yard Freestyle Relay
Maize South - Brandon Bowles, Jr.; Regan Richardson, Fr.; Eli Stucky, Jr.; Reid Richardson, Jr.
The Mavericks came to life at state.
Maize South entered the Class 5-1A meet with the No. 14 time in Kansas in the 400 free relay at 3:26.28. The Mavericks came in third at state with a time of 3:21.79.
Mitchell Wagner, Independent, All-Metro Coach of the Year
Fans from all schools seemed to join in at the state swim meet, chanting Wagner’s name.
Wagner’s impact at Independent has stretched beyond his own school. So when he was named the Class 5-1A Coach of the Year, many in the swim community were thrilled. Wagner’s Panthers captured their first team title in school history in 2020.