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The 2020 Kansas Boys 6A State Swimming and Diving Championships took place on Saturday, Feb. 22 at the Capitol Federal Natatorium in Topeka, Kan.
Blue Valley West’s Kevin Glenn highlighted the meet by breaking his own Class 6A record in the 100 back with a time of 49.89 during prelims. He led his team to back-to-back state championship titles as the Jaguars finished with 345 – only one point ahead of runner-up Olathe East (344).
Click HERE for full results.
Top 5 Team Scores:
1. Op-Blue Valley West – 345
2. Olathe East – 344
3. Shawnee Mission East – 191
4. Op-Blue Valley North – 186
5. Lawrence-Free State – 160
Olathe East began the meet as the team of Aidan Walters (24.36), Philip Costello (25.62), Micah Leslie (22.37), and Jack Gabrielson (21.81) won the opening 4×50 medley relay in 1:34.16, just off the 6A record. Op-Blue Valley West was second in 1:34.95 and Op-Blue Valley North took third in 1:36.59.
Olathe East’s Harry Tjaden cruised to first in the 200 free, stopping the clock in 1:41.75 to best the field by nearly two seconds. Op-Blue Valley West’s Hunter Rey raced to second in 1:43.14 while Walters rounded out the top three in 1:43.99 for a third place finish.
Shawnee Mission West’s Will Frankel dove to first on the 1-meter board for the second year in a row, finishing with a final score of 464.60. Elliot Ahlvers of Lawrence-Free State finished second with 390.45 points while Spencer Eyen of Op-Blue Valley North took third with a total score of 384.30
Glenn led the top five swimmers in the 200 IM field under the two-minute marker, winning the event in 1:54.27. Lawrence-Free State’s Reilley Moore raced to the runner-up spot in 1:55.99 while Costello finished third with a time of 1:56.17.
Wichita East sophomore Drayden Bell splashed-and-dashed his way to victory in the 50 free for the second-consecutive season, posting a quick time of 20.53. Closely behind him was Op-Blue Valley North’s Sean North in 20.75 while Op-Blue Valley West’s Caleb Musser took a close third in 20.81.
Shortly after finishing second in the 200 IM, Moore was back in the pool to successfully defend his state title in the 100 fly after touching the wall in 49.62 as the only swimmer to crack the 50-second barrier. Rey was again the runner-up in 51.01 and Op-Blue Valley North’s Richie Stewart took third in 51.49.
Bell, who took second in the 100 free a season ago, proved his sprint talent by adding a gold medal in the event to match his 50 free title from earlier. He finished the raced in a swift 45.69 ahead of North who took second in 46.26 and Musser who raced to third in 46.37.
Not too long after winning the 200 free, Tjaden dove back in to dominate the 500 free. He won the event in 4:35.83, slightly off his prelims time of 4:35.36 but still besting the field by eight seconds. Op-Blue Valley West teammates Sam Foster (4:43.06) and Sam Pankratz (4:49.00) rounded out the top three.
Olathe East’s Gabrielson (22.26), Luke Hagan (22.28), Tjaden (21.40), and Leslie (20.96) joined forces to win the 4×50 free relay in a time of 1:26.90. It proved to be a tight race as Op-Blue Valley West was right behind them in 1:27.05 for second while Op-Blue Valley North took third in 1:27.23.
Glenn won the 100 back in record-setting fashion for the second year in a row. His prelims time of 49.68 broke his own Class 6A record of 50.14 he set at this meet last year. He finished in 50.26 during finals while Walters finished second in 51.82 and Wichita North’s Isaac Hadorn took third in 52.49.
After swimming the breaststroke leg on the victorious medley relay, Costello won the individual 100 breast by getting his hands to the wall first in 56.62 for the second-straight season. Op-Blue Valley West’s Chase Lane (57.89) and Wichita East’s Jason Ooten (59.37) finished second and third, respectively.
Olathe East make it a relay sweep as the quartet of Keaton Kristoff (48.88), Tjaden (46.56), Walters (46.46), and Costello (47.02) concluded the meet by winning the 4×100 free relay in a time of 3:08.92, again just shy of the 6A mark. Op-Blue Valley West took second in 3:09.26 while Wichita East wound up a distant third in 3:15.91.
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Wonderful article! You captured the essence of the whole dramatic event & the fact that it came down to one point, I appreciated the way that you gave props to the significant participants. On the 4 relay you did mention Op-Blue Valley East but it was actually Op-Blue Valley West. East/West who cares? The best team won!!
BTW I am Kevin Glenn’s dad Jerry, But mostly I’m just known as “Kevin’s Dad. Thanks!