Armstrong reaches finals in four events

? Lawrence High’s John Armstrong enters the second day of the state swimming and diving meet poised to take home medals in four events.

The Sunflower League champion in the 100 butterfly and the 100 freestyle reached today’s finals with solid performances in Friday’s preliminaries.

The top eight finishers in Friday’s prelims advanced to today’s championships, while the next eight move on to consolation finals. The top eight finishers earn medals, and the top 16 earn points in the team standings.

Armstrong was second in the 100 butterfly preliminaries with a time of 53.07. He was sixth in the 100 freestyle in 50.45. Teammate Anthony Portela was 11th in the 100 free in 51.54.

Armstrong also anchored two relay teams that placed in the top eight. The Lions’ 200 freestyle relay team of Portela, Elliot Lauxman, Jonathan Legler and Armstrong were fifth in the 200 freestyle relay with a time of 1:34.06. The same four swimmers were fourth in the 400 freestyle relay in 3:37.29.

Legler also reached the championship finals in two individual events.

He was sixth in the 200 freestyle in 1:50.45 and seventh in the 500 freestyle in 5:01.7.

Free State’s Alex Brunfeldt, the Sunflower League champ in the 500, was sixth in 4:57.04. He advanced to the consolation finals in the 200 freestyle in 1:52.04.

Lawrence High also fared well in the diving preliminaries. John Gatti, the league champion and last year’s third-place finisher here, was fourth heading into today’s finals. Teammate Nick Leet was 11th.

Today’s finals are scheduled for 12:30 p.m. at Kansas State.