Swimmers get ready for the start of an event Wednesday afternoon at FSHS on Dec. 4, 2019.

Just before the 100 butterfly began, a group of Free State swimmers started a chant.

“Matt, Matt, Matt, Matt.”

Matthew Reimer was who the chant was for. And it boosted Reimer to a sixth-place finish in the event during the first meet of the season, which took place Wednesday afternoon at FSHS.

“He saw us, and gave us a thumbs up,” Riley Sirimongkhon-Dyck said. “He dropped about two seconds after not swimming for many years.”

It ultimately was one of four events that the Firebirds didn’t win in the season opener, but it illustrated what could make this team so special this year.

“The team is just great this year,” Sirimongkhon-Dyck said. “We are like a brotherhood, I would say. All of us have fun with each other.”

Free State won eight of the 12 events en route to a first-place finish in a quadrangular to begin the 2019-20 campaign. The Firebirds scored 408 points as a team, which was 38 points better than the next-best squad.

photo by: File photo

Free State swimmer Riley Sirimongkhon-Dyck competes in the 100 breaststroke Wednesday afternoon at FSHS on Dec. 4, 2019.

Lawrence High finished second with 370 points, winning three events on the day. Shawnee Mission South scored 273 points to place third, while Leavenworth took home fourth out of as many teams with 217 points.

Wednesday’s quadrangular was not meant to be the most challenging meet, but it provided a glimpse of how dangerous Free State can end up being by the end of the season.

“We still have a lot of improving to do,” junior Brady Flynn said. “All those victories, we work hard in practice and I think we have earned those.”

Sirimongkhon-Dyck kicked off his junior campaign with two individual victories. He won the 200 individual medley with a time of 2:05.56 and the 100 breaststroke with a mark of 1:04.26. Sirimongkhon-Dyck was also on the 200-yard medley relay — along with Benjamin Vorthmann, Reimer and Flynn — that took first with a time of 1:43.45.

The 200 freestyle relay quartet of Vorthmann, Sirimongkhon-Dyck, Alexander Moore and John Kelley placed first with a time of 1:35.58.

Vorthmann claimed two individual victories as well. He won the 200 freestyle with a time with a time of 1:45.34. Vorthmann registered a time of 47.67 to win the 100 freestyle. Flynn also notched first in the 50 freestyle with a time of 22.61, while Elliot Ahlvers won diving with a score of 228.65.

“Our team has a lot of potential,” Flynn said. “This is the first meet. A lot of guys are going to get better. We are going to be really good this season.”

FSHS will compete in a meet at Summit Trail Middle School on Friday, Dec. 13.

Lawrence High swimmers Maxwell Cowardin (right) and Tyler Jones (left) react to finishing the 500 freestyle Wednesday afternoon at FSHS on Dec. 4, 2019.

LHS swim flashes potential in runner-up finish

Freshman Maxwell Cowardin didn’t expect to win, but he came away with the milestone in his high school debut.

Cowardin had the best seed time entering the 500 freestyle in the season opener, but it was by just two seconds. His own teammate, Tyler Jones, is expected to be a contender in the event after finishing third in the 500 at Sunflower League last year.

Yet it was Cowardin who touched the wall first, winning with a personal-best time of 5:16.19. Jones came in second with a mark of 5:24.39.

“I thought Tyler was going to beat me,” Cowardin said. “He did really good last year. It’s not really a competition. We are teammates, and we are just doing the best we can.”

Nobody is supposed to be at their best in the first meet of the season, so Cowardin isn’t content with just coming out on top. He is already turning his attention to the school record in the 500 freestyle, something he hopes to accomplish by the end of his career.

“I’m going to go for the team record as soon as I can,” Cowardin said.

But Cowardin wasn’t the only freshman that shined on Wednesday for the Lions.

Giuliano Lule-Paredes secured first in the backstroke with a time of 1:01.71. Both rookie swimmers were also on the 400-yard freestyle relay, which netted first with a time of 3:46.00. Jones and Maximilian Whittaker were on that relay squad as well.

All in all, Wednesday’s meet proved to be a good experience for a LHS team incorporating several newcomers into the mix.

“I think we did really, really great,” Cowardin said. “We have a bunch of new freshmen, and some of us have never swam before. It is really great to get out and have some fun, even if it is not super competitive.”

LHS will be competing in a meet at Kansas State University at 3:30 p.m. Wednesday.

Free State quadrangular

Wednesday at FSHS

Team scores: 1. FSHS 408, 2. LHS 370, 3. SM South 273, 4. Leavenworth 217

FSHS/LHS results

200-yard medley relay: 1. FSHS (Benjamin Vorthmann, Riley Sirimongkhon-Dyck, Matthew Reimer, Brady Flynn) 1:43.45; 4. LHS (Giuliano Lule-Paredes, Christpher Oral, Ryan Christian, Maximilian Whittaker) 1:53.03.

200 freestyle: 1. Benjamin Vorthmann, FS, 1:45.34; 2. Maxwell Cowardin, LHS, 1:55.06; 6. Gabe Clark, FS, 2:17.89; 7. Trenton Snyder, LHS, 2:18.09; 10. Niels Braaten, FS, 2:34.67; 11. Tanner Erwin, FS, 2:37.22; 12. Colton Khatib, LHS, 3:14.55.

200 IM: 1. Riley Sirimongkhon-Dyck, FS, 2:05.56; 2. Tyler Jones, LHS, 2:13.44; 3. Giuliano Lule-Paredes, LHS, 2:15.02; 5. Ryan Christian, LHS, 8. Zach Bollinger, FS, 2:29.00; 12. Viet Nguyen, FS, 2:37.78.

50 freestyle: 1. Brady Flynn, FS, 22.61; 3. Alexander Moore, FS, 25.35; 5. Andrew Augustine, LHS, 26.12; 6. Max Bates, FS, 26.46; 8. Jack Morse, LHS, 27.14; 9. Morgan Uecher, FS, 27.34; 10. Nicholas Burket, FS, 27.36; 14. Chase Reed, LHS, 28.74; 15. Owen Polson, FS, 28.75.

Diving: 1. Elliot Ahlvers, FS, 228.65; 3. Keyan Crawford, LHS, 199.55; 4. Salvador Good, LHS, 176.20; 6. Michael Leonard, FS, 152.90; 8. Jack Keathley-Helms, FS, 92.20.

100 butterfly: 2. Maximilian Whittaker, LHS, 1:00.32; 3. Ryan Christian, LHS, 1:00.93; 5. Jacob Heinz, FS, 1:02.57; 6. Matthew Reimer, FS, 1:02.96; 7. John Kelley, FS, 1:04.56.

100 freestyle: 1. Benjamin Vorthmann, FS, 47.67; 2. Brady Flynn, FS, 52.81; 3. Zach Bollinger, FS, 58.02; 6. Jake Signor, LHS, 59.56; 9. Keyan Crawford, LHS, 1:04.58; 12. Gabe Clark, FS, 1:05.29; 13. Jack Morse, LHS, 1:05.75; 15. JJ Smith, LHS, 1:05.85; 16. Morgan Uecher, FS, 1:06.10; 17. Dylan Crawford, FS, 1:06.87.

500 freestyle: 1. Maxwell Cowardin, LHS, 5:16.19; 2. Tyler Jones, LHS, 5:24.39; 3. Jacob Heinz, FS, 5:47.45; 4. John Kelley, FS, 6:19.05; 7. Nicholas Burket, FS, 6:45.30; 8. Trenton Snyder, LHS, 7:02.37.

200 freestyle relay: 1. FS (Benjamin Vorthmann, Alexander Moore, Riley Sirimongkhon-Dyck, John Kelley) 1:35.58; 2. LHS (Maximilian Whittaker, Christopher Oral, Maxwell Cowardin, Tyler Jones) 1:38.73.

100 backstroke: 1. Giuliano Lule-Paredes, LHS, 1:01.71; 2. Max Bates, FS, 1:06.69; 3. Alexander Moore, FS, 1:08.67; 4. Matthew Reimer, FS, 1:13.03; 5. Jake Signor, LHS, 1:14.22; 7. Andrew Augustine, LHS, 1:93.

100 breaststroke: 1. Riley Sirimongkhon-Dyck, FS, 1:04.26; 3. Viet Nguyen, FS, 1:16.44; 4. Christopher Oral, LHS, 1:19.20; 6. JJ Smith, LHS, 1:23.66; 7. Chase Reed, LHS, 1:23.99; 8. Gabe Thompson, FS, 1:24.83; 9. Owen Polson, 1:25.10; 10. Aaron Guo, FS, 1:42.09.

400 freestyle relay: 1. LHS (Maximilian Whittaker, Maxwell Cowardin, Giuliano Lule-Paredes, Tyler Jones) 3:46.00; 3. LHS (Ryan Christian, Andrew Augustine, Jake Signor, Christopher Oral), 4:03.45; 6. FS (Nicholas Burket, Tanner Erwin, Dylan Crawford, Morgan Uecher), 4:32.06.

Rampy tabbed coach of the year

Lawrence High head coach Steve Rampy was named the Sunflower League coach of the year after an impressive turnaround in 2019.

The Lions went 8-2 this season, which included a 35-10 road win over eventual 6A runner-up Olathe North, after posting a 1-8 clip in 2018. LHS began the year with a 7-0 clip before eventually falling to Topeka High in the second round of the Class 6A playoffs.

Lawrence had four players named to the first team as well. Devin Neal (RB), Chris McGee (WR), Dylan Gillespie (DL) and Cole Mondi (LB) all made the first team. Linebacker Cole Morris and defensive back Corban Oberzan received second-team selections.

Free State had five players earn first-team honors on the All-Sunflower League squad. Turner Corcoran (OL), Tyler Bowden (RB), Lovette Epelle (DL), Joey Eddis (LB) and Colter Maldonado (DB) all earned a spot on the first team. Marcus Preston (WR), Malik Berry (LB) and Joey Wood (K) made the second team.

All-Sunflower League honors

Player of the year: Arland Bruce, Olathe North

Coach of the year: Steve Rampy, Lawrence

FSHS selections

First team: Turner Corcoran (OL), Tyler Bowden (RB), Lovette Epelle (DL), Joey Eddis (LB), Coltor Maldonado (DB)

Second team: Marcus Preston (WR), Malik Berry (LB), Joey Wood (K)

Honorable mention: Ben Miller (LB), Devon Buck (DL), Frankie Calderon (OL), Gage Callahan (LB), Jet Dineen (DB), Ryan Lutz (OL), Ryley Wheat (DB), Tae Rainey (WR), Tai Newhouse (DL), Tyler Gourley (OL)

LHS selections

First team: Devin Neal (RB), Chris McGee (WR), Dylan Gillespie (DL), Cole Mondi (LB)

Second team: Cole Morris (LB), Corban Oberzan (DB)

Honorable mention: Austin Holland (LB), Connor Gellender (P), Deshon Lewis (DB), Dre Bridges (DB), Jackson Dooley (QB), Kallun Chitama (DB), Karson Green (LB), Lane Luna (OL) Nick Ray (DL), Porter Dannevik (OL), Teagen Flynn (DL), Tre’ Jackson (WR)

Veritas boys roll past Faith Christian

The Veritas boys basketball team earned a 56-47 win over Faith Christian in its home opener Tuesday night.

Brennan Clements led the team with 21 points, shooting 10-for-16 on the night. Will Rau registered 19 points, nine rebounds and seven assists in the win. Will Bartkoski finished with seven points, five rebounds and three assists.

Veritas (1-0) will compete in the Eudora basketball tournament next week.

Veritas (56)

Will Rau 17, Will Bartkoski 7, Aden-Jay Baker 4, Calvin Clements 7, Brennan Clements 21