Traditional powers roll in state swim meet as Henry Clay team honors one of its own
The St. Xavier and Sacred Heart swim teams remained as dominant as ever as each claimed their respective boys’ and girls’ state titles on Saturday in a unique three-site meet necessitated by COVID-19 and in which many teams paid tribute to a swimmer who could not make the event.
Competing without fans at three different venues due to COVID-19 protocols, the KHSAA State Swimming & Diving Championships’ final results were compiled from the various sites without many of the competitors actually being able to line up lane-to-lane with their rivals.
St. Xavier earned 527 points for the boys’ title, more than double the total of runner-up Highlands. Girls’ winner Sacred Heart accumulated 407.5 points, also more than double that of runner-up Assumption. For St. X, it was the Tigers’ 13th straight boys’ title. For Sacred Heart, it was their ninth consecutive team title.
While the two Louisville powerhouses rolled, there was another competition that’s tracked by schools with both boys’ and girls’ teams: Paul Laurence Dunbar edged Henry Clay for the combined teams title with a score of 240 to the Blue Devils’ 226.5. Highlands took third with 210.5 combined points. While not officially a KHSAA trophy, the combined “title” is coveted by the schools in the running for it every year.
“It’s just really cool to see two teams from Lexington end up 1-2 on the combined state championship, but overall, my boys crushed it yesterday,” Henry Clay Coach Daniel Porter said. “It hurts to lose by 13 and a half points but at the same time, to see them step up after what one of our best kids has gone through is pretty cool. And we lose nobody going into next season, so, we’re going to be right back there for next year.”
The Blue Devils competed without freestyle swimmer and relay anchor Landon Jennings, a junior who, according to social media posts, discovered a non-COVID-19 related health issue after he competed in the regional meet. The Jennings family could not be reached for comment.
Tributes to Jennings included “Landon Strong” T-shirts worn and sold by the team last week.
“It’s really cool to see people across the state that don’t even know him rally around this kid,” his coach, Porter said, noting that Jennings always provided an “energy” to the team along with his rapid times. “His spirits were definitely lifted and we made a point to honor him at the meet with the #landonstrong hashtag. To see other teams wearing (the T-shirt) it meant a lot to him and meant a lot to us.”
Henry Clay, whose boys’ team tied for the Region 8 title this month, finished third in the state competition with strong showings throughout, including runner-up finishes for junior Jackson Millard in the 200-yard individual medley and the 100-yard backstroke.
“Both were team records and both were automatic All-American (times),” Porter said. “He was really close to the state champion and the state champion was in Louisville. I really have to wonder if they had been swimming in the same pool, who would have won?”
Teams were separated at different sites designated by their regions with Russell County High School hosting Regions 1-3, Blairwood Tennis, Swim and Fitness Club in Louisville, Regions 4-6 and Union College in Barbourville, Regions 7-9.
The Blue Devils also got thirds in the 200-yard freestyle relay (Max Montgomery, Benjamin Hightower, Cole Bray and Millard) and the 400-yard freestyle relay (Montgomery, Jack Johnson, Bray and Millard).
The Blue Devils’ girls’ team finished 12th, highlighted by a third place by diver Mallory Sparks at Falling Springs on Thursday.
Paul Laurence Dunbar’s boys took fifth in the state competition. The Bulldogs’ girls’ team finished sixth. Dunbar’s best finish came in the boys’ 200-yard medley relay where Mark Dattilio, Jack Naehr, Nathan Zhu and Eli Merritt placed third with a time of 1:37.61.
Lafayette’s girls team also fared well, finishing third with a number of outstanding individual and relay finishes. Generals junior Lili Elayi finished second in the 50-yard freestyle, third in the 100-yard butterfly and was part of relays teams that took second in the 200-yard freestyle relay (Elayi, Megan Wedeking, Lou Elayi, Emma Lykins) and third in the 400-yard freestyle relay (Lili Elayi, Lou Elayi, Wedeking, Lykins).
Two state records were broken in the girls’ event as Assumption’s Ella Welch set a new 100-yard freestyle time of 48.55, breaking her own record from last year by more than six-tenths of a second. Sacred Heart’s Annabel Crush set a new all-time mark in the 100-yard backstroke with a time of :52.66.
KHSAA Swimming and Diving Championships
BOYS’ TOP FINISHERS
Team rankings: 1, St Xavier, 537. 2, Highlands, 201.5. 3, Henry Clay, 154.5. 4, Covington Cathoilic, 126. 5, Paul Laurence Dunbar, 124. 6, Bowling Green, 112. 7, Boyle County, 90. 7, South Warren, 90. 9, Elizabethtown, 89. 10, Trinity, 79.
200 medley relay: 1, St. Xavier (Charlie Crush 11, Will Scholtz 10, Holden Smith 12, Wyatt Johnson 12), 1:30.51. 2, Bowling Green ‘‘ (Grady Sine 12, Ethan Taylor 12, Mei Fukushima 12, Phillip Khenner 11), 1:37.40. 3, Paul Laurence Dunbar (Mark Dattilio 10, Jack Naehr 12, Nathan Zhu 10, Eli Merritt 11), 1:37.61.
200 freestyle: 1, John Hayes, Elizabethtown, 1:38.09. 2, Eli Shoyat, Beechwood, 1:39.01. 3, Jack Anderson, St. Xavier, 1:39.94.
200 individual medley: 1, Holden Smith, St. Xavier, 1:48.91. 2, Jackson Millard, Henry Clay, 1:49.33. 3, Will Scholtz, St Xavier, 1:49.88.
50 freestyle: 1, Mac Russell, Highlands, 20.34. 2, Robert Ehrenborg, Christian Acad, 20.62. 3, Luke Thomas, St Xavier, 20.91.
1-meter diving: (Finals) 1, Aidan Stigall, St Henry, 465.75. 2, Brandon Anderson, St Xavier, 424.70. 3, Alex Warning, Scott, 416.95.
100 butterfly: 1, Holden Smith, St. Xavier, 48.29. 2, Luke Thomas, St. Xavier, 48.46. 3, Charlie Crush, St. Xavier, 49.73.
100 freestyle: 1, Mac Russell, Highlands, 44.66. 2, Jack Banks, Highlands, 44.94. 3, John Hayes, Elizabethtown, 45.33.
500 freestyle: 1, Eli Shoyat, Beechwood, 4:24.39. 2, Jackson Mussler, St. Xavier, 4:28.91. 3, Jack Anderson, St. Xavier, 4:34.29.
200 freestyle relay: 1, St. Xavier (Charlie Crush 11, Luke Thomas 11, Wyatt Johnson 12, Jackson Mussler 12), 1:24.49. 2, Highlands (Mac Russell 12, Harrison Pawsat 12, Will Griffith 12, Jack Banks 12), 1:25.30. 3, Henry Clay (Max Montgomery 11, Benjamin Hightower 10, Cole Bray 10, Jackson Millard 11), 1:26.89.
100 backstroke: 1, Charlie Crush, St. Xavier, 48.94. 2, Jackson Millard, Henry Clay, 49.15. 3, Kole Brannock, Scott Co, 50.71.
100 breaststroke: 1, Will Scholtz, St. Xavier, 54.73. 2, Luke Shourds, Greenwood, 54.96. 3, Alex Brehm, Collegiate, 55.75.
400 freestyle relay: 1, St. Xavier (Cooper Tyler 12, Luke Thomas 11, Jack Anderson 11, Holden Smith 12), 3:03.63. 2, Highlands (Mac Russell 12, Sam Jones 11, Will Griffith 12, Jack Banks 12), 3:07.67. 3, Henry Clay (Max Montgomery 11, Jack Johnson 11, Cole Bray 10, Jackson Millard 11), 3:10.39.
Complete boys’ results online: https://bit.ly/2PiR1O2
GIRLS’ TOP FINISHERS
Team rankings: 1, Sacred Heart, 407.5. 2, Assumption, 173. 3, Lafayette, 163. 4, Ryle, 133.5. 5, Christian Academy of Louisville, 133. 6, Paul Laurence Dunbar, 116. 7, Elizabethtown, 114. 8, Eastern, 110. 9, Lexington Catholic, 108. 9, Manual, 108.
200 medley relay: 1, Sacred Heart (Mackenzie Lanning 11, Carlie Tyler 9, Chloe McDonald 12, Brinly Hardy 11), 1:45.70. 2, Assumption (Raylynn Elder 11, Drew Penick 12, Ava Fears 10, Ella Welch 11), 1:48.12. 3, Lexington Catholic (Kat Woodall 10, Libby Livesay 10, Christina Aouad 10, Lillian Hosinski 9), 1:48.20.
200 freestyle: 1, Mackenzie Lanning, Sacred Heart, 1:49.89. 2, Caroline Pape, Sacred Heart, 1:50.37. 3, Eden Humphrey, Assumption, 1:51.18.
200 individual medley: 1, Annabel Crush, Sacred Heart, 1:59.26. 2, Alexa Arkenberg, Ryle, 2:06.23. 3, Micaela Godfrey, Elizabethtown, 2:07.23.
50 freestyle: 1, Ella Welch, Assumption, 22.63. 2, Lili Elayi, Lafayette, 23.96. 3, Brinly Hardy, Sacred Heart, 24.02.
1-meter diving: (Finals) 1, Peytton Moore, Cooper, 429.05. 2, Reagan Patterson, Madison Southern, 419.70. 3, Mallory Sparks, Henry Clay, 413.40.
100 butterfly: 1, Madeline Meredith, Sacred Heart, 54.68. 2, Chloe McDonald, Sacred Heart, 55.54. 3, Lili Elayi, Lafayette, 55.65.
100 freestyle: 1, Ella Welch, Assumption, 48.85. 2, Lainy Kruger, Notre Dame, 49.67. 3, Caroline Pape, Sacred Heart, 51.30.
500 freestyle: 1, Eden Humphrey, Assumption, 4:57.05. 2, Mackenzie Lanning, Sacred Heart, 4:58.74. 3, Carlie Tyler, Sacred Heart, 5:01.55.
200 freestyle Relay: 1, Sacred Heart (Annabel Crush 12, Brinly Hardy 11, Caroline Pape 12, Madeline Meredith 11), 1:34.24. 2, Lafayette (Lili Elayi 11, Megan Wedeking 9, Lou Elayi 10, Emma Lykins 10), 1:37.63. 3, Christian Academy-Louisville (Caroline Wilson 9, Sydney Perkins 9, Kate Seidenfaden 9, Gentry Cheek 12), 1:38.35.
100 backstroke: 1, Annabel Crush, Sacred Heart, 52.66. 2, Madeline Meredith, Sacred Heart, 54.59. 3, Krista Wheeler, Collegiate, 55.86.
100 breaststroke: 1, Lainy Kruger, Notre Dame, 1:01.85. 2, Hanna Schmidt, Eastern, 1:02.92. 3, Sydney Perkins, Christian Academy-Louisville, 1:03.27.
400 freestyle relay: 1, Sacred Heart Academy (Annabel Crush 12, Meredith Bauer 12, Caroline Pape 12, Madeline Meredith 11), 3:24.96. 2, Assumption (Liesel Greseth 10, Drew Penick 12, Eden Humphrey 11, Ella Welch 11), 3:30.90. 3, Lafayette (Lili Elayi 11, Lou Elayi 10, Megan Wedeking 9, Emma Lykins 10), 3:33.26.
Complete girls’ results online: https://bit.ly/3dTrkxj
This story was originally published April 25, 2021 at 6:08 PM.
