photo by: David Rodish/Journal-World

Free State's Ella Marsh swims in the 200-yard individual medley at the 6A state swim and dive meet on Saturday, May 23, 2026, in Lenexa.

LENEXA — Three Free State swimmers finished with all-state honors as the Firebirds placed fifth as a team in the 6A state swim and dive meet.

Junior Helena Mattes, freshman Siggi Mattes and freshman Ella Marsh all scored enough points to earn all-state recognition, and Marsh did enough to be named first-team all-state after winning a state championship in the 200-yard individual medley. Helena Mattes earned second-team all-state for the second time, and the two freshmen said they weren’t expecting to receive all-state honors.

“I was really happy about it,” Siggi Mattes said. “I didn’t expect (swimming) to be so good in high school. It’s been fun.”

Mattes and Marsh are part of an impressive freshmen class for Free State which made up half of the team’s qualified swimmers, and four of the five point earners were freshmen. As a veteran of the team, Helena Mattes said it was fun to see the young group come in and perform, while the freshmen are excited for what they can do in the future.

“As a freshman, I feel really good about being able to have made an impact and help my team,” Marsh said. “It’s just really awesome.”

Free State brought 12 swimmers to the state meet and finished with 188 points, which was fifth. All but one swimmer who qualified for state will be back with Free State next year, including every swimmer who scored points for the Firebirds.

“I was very proud of how they came together as a unit,” Free State coach Janna Skinner said. “They all knew each other’s times and they were there for each other the last couple of weeks. That was important for us. We got closer at the end, and we were excited to see us get in the top eight.”

For the first race of the final day, Free State’s 200-yard medley relay team of Marsh, Helena Mattes, Siggi Mattes and Ruby Jiang took fourth with a 1 minute, 49.84 second-time. Bridget Collins placed 12th in the 200-yard freestyle at 2:03.40 for the first individual event of the day.

Marsh won the 200-yard individual medley at 2:02.80, dropping 1.40 seconds from her prelim time and beating the other swimmers by over seven seconds. Helena Mattes took fifth in the event at 2:13.18.

“This was such a fun meet to swim at,” Marsh said. “It really is such an honor.”

Lawrence senior Ashlyn Tell swam in two events on Saturday, taking 13th in the 200-yard individual medley by finishing in 2:22.26 and 11th in the 100-yard butterfly at 1:03.37, and those results accounted for Lawrence’s 10 points, which was 20th in the meet. The Lions also had freshman Abigail Johnson, freshman Olivia Oehlert and sophomore Isabella Paniagua compete during the preliminary races on Friday.

Free State divers Harper Huston and Lucy Koch competed in the state meet but didn’t qualify for the semifinals. Huston placed 31st with 132.70 points, and Koch took 32nd at 129.15 points.

Marsh finished as the runner-up in the 100-yard butterfly, swimming in 57.23 seconds, and Jiang placed ninth in the race at 1:01.09. Siggi Mattes finished sixth in the 500-yard freestyle at 5:21.25, and Collins took eighth at 5:32.85.

Free State placed 15th in the 200-yard freestyle relay with a 1:50.28 time, but the team’s 400-yard freestyle relay team finished fifth at 3:41.61.

In the final individual events, Siggi Mattes placed sixth in the 100-yard backstroke, breaking a minute and finishing at 59.63 seconds. Helena Mattes finished fourth in the 100-yard breaststroke at 1:07.61, and Jiang took ninth at 1:10.94.

Free State will lose two senior leaders but will retain its large group of underclassmen, and the team is excited for the possibilities next season.

“We aren’t losing any point earners, and I think we’re going to be even stronger next year,” Skinner said. “I think that’s what is making them feel so motivated to work in the summer and come back and be ready to go.”

photo by: David Rodish/Journal-World

Lawrence’s Ashlyn Tell swims the 200-yard individual medley at the 6A state swim and dive meet on Saturday, May 23, 2026, in Lenexa.

photo by: David Rodish/Journal-World

Free State’s Ella Marsh dives into the pool to swim her leg of the 400-yard freestyle relay at the 6A state swim and dive meet on Saturday, May 23, 2026, in Lenexa.

photo by: David Rodish/Journal-World

Free State’s Ruby Jiang dives into the pool to swim her leg of the 400-yard freestyle relay at the 6A state swim and dive meet on Saturday, May 23, 2026, in Lenexa.

photo by: David Rodish/Journal-World

Free State’s Helena Mattes swims the 100-yard breaststroke at the 6A state swim and dive meet on Saturday, May 23, 2026, in Lenexa.

photo by: David Rodish/Journal-World

Free State’s Helena Mattes swims the 100-yard breaststroke at the 6A state swim and dive meet on Saturday, May 23, 2026, in Lenexa.

photo by: David Rodish/Journal-World

Free State’s Ruby Jiang swims the 100-yard breaststroke at the 6A state swim and dive meet on Saturday, May 23, 2026, in Lenexa.

photo by: David Rodish/Journal-World

Free State’s Maria Fuentes Sanchez prepares for her leg of the 200-yard freestyle relay at the 6A state swim and dive meet on Saturday, May 23, 2026, in Lenexa.

photo by: David Rodish/Journal-World

Free State’s Bridget Collins swims the 500-yard freestyle at the 6A state swim and dive meet on Saturday, May 23, 2026, in Lenexa.

photo by: David Rodish/Journal-World

Free State’s Siggi Mattes swims the 500-yard freestyle at the 6A state swim and dive meet on Saturday, May 23, 2026, in Lenexa.

photo by: David Rodish/Journal-World

Free State’s Ella Marsh swims in the 100-yard butterfly at the 6A state swim and dive meet on Saturday, May 23, 2026, in Lenexa.

photo by: David Rodish/Journal-World

Free State’s Ella Marsh swims in the 100-yard butterfly at the 6A state swim and dive meet on Saturday, May 23, 2026, in Lenexa.

photo by: David Rodish/Journal-World

Free State’s Ella Marsh swims in the 200-yard individual medley at the 6A state swim and dive meet on Saturday, May 23, 2026, in Lenexa.

photo by: David Rodish/Journal-World

Lawrence’s Ashlyn Tell swims the 200-yard individual medley at the 6A state swim and dive meet on Saturday, May 23, 2026, in Lenexa.

photo by: David Rodish/Journal-World

Lawrence’s Ashlyn Tell swims the 200-yard individual medley at the 6A state swim and dive meet on Saturday, May 23, 2026, in Lenexa.