Lancers, Saints make girls state swimming history

Given that 2010 marks the first year for separate competitions for Class 6A and Class 5-1A at the Kansas state high school girls swimming and diving meet, Shawnee Mission East High School and St. Thomas Aquinas secured their own lofty places in a fresh piece of history earlier today at Topeka.

The two area squads captured the 6A and 5-1A state crowns, respectively, inside the Capitol Federal Natatorium at Hummer Sports Park.

A deep SM East squad, coached by Rob Cole, wound its way into state fresh off a sixth consecutive Sunflower League championship. The Lancers, who finished fifth in last season’s all-class state competition, narrowly held off runner-up Topeka Washburn Rural 276 team points to 265.

SM East’s typical depth this season surfaced again, in that the Lancers took home only a title in only one event.

That victory came in the 200-yard freestyle relay, where Marston Fries, Taylor Burkhead, Katy Richardson and Sarah McKittrick combined for the victory in 1:38.22.

For SM East, this year’s state title marks the program’s first since 1988. That year the Lancers captured their second of back-to-back titles following an earlier run of seven straight state crowns gleaned by the crew from Prairie Village from 1977 through 1983.

In 5A-1A, St. Thomas Aquinas, coached by Rick Jenkins, claimed its first girls state swim and dive title in school history via a blistering 329.5 to 252 win over second-place Wichita Independent. Aquinas finished ninth a year ago in the state's all-class competition.

The Saints’ 200 medley relay of Sarah Lopez, Kaela Ropson, Megan Greving and Monica Dudley won in 1:52.28, and in so doing, set a school record.

The Saints’ Dudley enjoyed an outstanding day individually as well. The senior set a school record in winning the 500 freestyle in 5:06.92. She also won the 200 freestyle in 1:55.94.

Dudley’s classmate, Megan Greving, set a new school standard in winning the 100 butterfly in 57.69.

On Friday, Blue Valley Northwest junior AJ Lewis earned the 6A diving championship with her winning score all told of 414.75 points.

(Editor’s note: Champion teams and individual event winners from Sun Country were recognized in the breaking news story above. The finishes of other team entrants as well as top area individual performances in the two competitions will be listed at www.sunpublications.com at a later time.)

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