Call it fashionable. Call it weird. Just don’t tell Zach Andregg to stop wearing the darn things.

They’re called Flipturns Drag swimming suits, and Andregg, Lawrence High’s freshman phenom swimmer, swears by them.

“It’s almost like a diaper because it’s so long,” Andregg said. “When I get into the water, it just stretches out a ton. It makes you feel faster so you have more confidence.”

Wednesday evening, Andregg donned his drag shorts proudly over his black spandex at the Free State Invitational and qualified for state in two events. He also helped Lawrence to a third-place team finish — one spot higher than Free State High at the five-team event. That meant that for the first time in Free State coach Annette McDonald’s eight years with the team, the Lions bettered the Firebirds at a meet.

As for Andregg’s drag suit, it is designed to be worn during training to increase strength and endurance by dragging down a swimmer in the water. Andregg’s multi-colored version looks more like something out of a SpongeBob SquarePants cartoon.

“He wears them in practice,” LHS coach Kent McDonald said. “In cross country, he wore these real wild socks, and that was his thing in cross country. He’s got something going all the time.”

Andregg, swimming his first varsity meet, qualified for state in the 500-yard free in 5:14.30, beating the necessary qualifying time by more than five seconds. He also bettered the state mark in the 200-yard IM. His time of 2:10.0 scooted by the qualifying time by a full second.

The suit, meanwhile, is a fashion statement he doesn’t think he’ll end anytime soon.

“I’ll probably do it,” Andregg said. “I don’t think anybody else will.”

Free State High had a state qualifier of its own, also in two events. Sophomore Nolan Frank finished in second place Wednesday, just behind Andregg in the 200-yard IM in 2:10.06. He also dominated the 100-yard backstroke in a career-best 56.22 seconds.

“He has a bigger ambitious goal, so it’s not just every meet,” Annette McDonald said. “It’s like we’re working toward a goal of maybe looking at the school record.”