By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Washburn Rural had the depth and Seaman the star power in Friday's city girls swimming and diving championships at the Capitol Federal Natatorium.
Despite winning just one event -- Ellie Armstrong's victory in one-meter diving -- the Junior Blues rolled to their 18th straight team championship by a 536-433 margin over Seaman while Seaman freshman twin sisters Avery and Tauren Walz both won four gold medals as the Vikings won seven events overall.
Seaman freshman Avery Walz captured four gold medals in Friday's city's girls swimming championships, including individual wins in the 200 individual medley and the 100 breaststroke. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Seaman freshman Tauren Walz captured four gold medals in Friday's city's girls swimming meet, including individual wins in the 50 freestyle and the 100 butterfly. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Avery Walz posted individual wins in the 200-yard individual medley (2 minutes, 13.40 seconds) and the 100 breaststroke (1:06.44) while Tauren won the 50 freestyle (25.17) and the 100 butterfly (1:02.12).
The Walz sisters added two more gold medals in the 200 medley relay and the 400 free relay, teaming with Gabby Grace and Jordan Riggles to win the 200 medley event in 1:57.04 and with Grace and Bailey Meggison to win the 400 free in 3:53.69.
Grace added her third victory of the day in the 100 backstroke (1:01.20).
Topeka West's Kadence Jeffries won the 200-yard freestyle and 500 free in Thursday's city meet and added a third win in the 200 free relay. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Returning state champion Kadence Jeffries of Topeka West also claimed three gold medals, including individual wins in the 200 free (1:54.66) and the 500 free (5:07.13).
Jeffries also teamed with Bianca Espinosa, Ella Teter and MaKayla Baxter to take a win the 200 free relay in 1:50.87.
Hayden finished third as a team and got an individual victory from Audrey Kuta in the 100 free in 55.45.
Rural's Armstrong won the diving event with a total score of 209.15.
CITY GIRLS SWIMMING
Team scores
Washburn Rural 536, Seaman 433, Hayden 379, Shawnee Heights 308, Topeka High 253, Topeka West 205.
Individual results
200 medley relay — 1. Seaman (Riggles, Avery, Walz, Tauren Walz, Grace), 1:57.04; 2. Washburn Rural (Fritsch, Ndungu, Bare, Pritchard), 2:02.09; 3. Hayden (Kuta, Kerr, Oliver, Vu), 2:02.31.
200 freestyle — 1. Jeffries, Topeka West, 1:54.66; 2. Espinosa, Topeka West, 2:09.76; 3. Landry, Shawnee Heights, 2:19.13.
200 individual medley — 1. Avery Walz, Seaman, 2:13.40; 2. Kerr, Hayden, 2:19.81; 3. Ndungu, Washburn Rural, 2:36.05.
50 freestyle — 1. Tauren Walz, Seaman, 25.17; 2. Pritchard, Washburn Rural, 25.55; 3. Fritsch, Washburn Rural, 27.39.
One-meter diving — 1. Armstrong, Washburn Rural, 209.15; 2. Ingram, Seaman, 177.25; 3. Stegman, Hayden, 159.90.
100 butterfly — 1. Tauren Walz, Seaman, 1:02.12; 2. Oliver, Hayden, 1:06.14; 3. Espinosa, Topeka West, 1:07.80.
100 freestyle — 1. Kuta, Hayden, 55.45; 2. Pritchard, Washburn Rural, 55.73; 3. Grace, Seaman, 56.01.
500 freestyle — 1. Jeffries, Topeka West, 5:07.13; 2. Bare, Washburn Rural, 5:20.34; 3. Cape, Shawnee Heights, 6:17.10.
200 freestyle relay — 1. Topeka West (Baxter, Teter, Espinosa, Jeffries), 1:50.87; 2. Washburn Rural (Schmutzler, Mackenzie, Ndungu, Hall), 1:54.48; 3. Shawnee Heights (Cape, Copeland, Elskamp, Landry), 2:00.30.
100 backstroke — 1. Grace, Seaman, 1:01.20; 2. Kuta, Hayden, 1:01.99; 3. Bare, Washburn Rural, 1:02.44.
100 breaststroke — 1. Avery Walz, Seaman, 1:06.44; 2. Kerr, Hayden, 1:12.21; 3. Teter, Topeka West, 1:15.23.
400 freestyle relay — 1. Seaman (Meggison, Tauren Walz, Grace, Avery Walz), 3:53.69; 2. Hayden (Vu, Oliver, Kerr, Kuta) 3:58.67; 3. Shawnee Heights (Landry, Elskamp, Cole, Cape), 4:19.60.
ALL-CITY TEAM
First team
Kadence Jeffries, Topeka West; Avery Walz, Seaman; Tauren Walz, Seaman; Audrey Kuta, Hayden; Gabby Grace, Seaman; Makenna Pritchard, Washburn Rural; Olivia Kerr, Hayden; Bianca Espinosa, Topeka West; Mara Bare, Washburn Rural; Ainslee Oliver, Hayden; Ellie Armstrong, Washburn Rural.
Second team
Jeissca Ndungu, Washburn Rural; Aubrey Fritsch, Washburn Rural; Audrey Cape, Shawnee Heights; Taryn Lemke, Washburn Rural; Ella Teter, Topeka West; Madisyn Landry. Shawnee Heights; Makayla Geil, Topeka High; Georgia Cole, Shawnee Heights; Madeline O’Brien, Washburn Rural; Etta Hall, Washburn Rural; Ella Bombardier, Washburn Rural; Samantha Ingram, Seaman.
