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What to know about each Topeka-area high school boys swim team for 2023-24 season

liam keating, topeka capital-journal
·3 min read
Washburn Rural's Jack Miranda competes in the 500yd freestyle during the Boys Centennial League Championship Thursday Feb. 10, 2022, at Capital Federal Natatorium in Topeka, Kan.
Washburn Rural's Jack Miranda competes in the 500yd freestyle during the Boys Centennial League Championship Thursday Feb. 10, 2022, at Capital Federal Natatorium in Topeka, Kan.

TOPEKA — The KSHSAA high school boys swiming and diving season is starting to take shape around the area.

Swimmers are hoping hope for efficient strokes and fast times to lead them to the state championship hosted by Topeka's Capital Federal Natatorium in February.

Let's get to know each of the area programs.

Washburn Rural

The Junior Blues start the new season with a new head coach. Janson Garman takes over the program after coaching Topeka West last season. Garman has some great talent to help him in his debut year. Jack Miranda was one of the top swimmers last season, finishing in third place in the 200-yard freestyle and the 500-yard freestyle in the state championship. Brogan Meier will compete in his senior year campaign after taking eighth place in the state meet’s 100-yard freestyle.

Washburn Rural has started the season strong as it won the Topeka West Invitational on Nov. 29. Meier came away with the victory in the 100-yard back stroke while freshman Daniel Allen won the 200-yard individual medley.

Topeka High sophomore diver Jaxon Cowdin leaps to perform a back 2 summersault tuck at Tuesday's Topeka West Invitational at Capitol Federal Natatorium.
Topeka High sophomore diver Jaxon Cowdin leaps to perform a back 2 summersault tuck at Tuesday's Topeka West Invitational at Capitol Federal Natatorium.

Topeka High

The Trojans enter the campaign with a young squad that is looking to make an impact. Lincoln Carter, Will Stewart and Dawson Blankenship are the top returners while Jaxon Cowdin, a junior, comes back after an incredible diving season last year. Cowdin finished in 10th place in the state and dominated the competition in the Topeka West Invitational to show that he remains one of the top divers in the area.

“We are a young team, we have improved greatly in the first couple of weeks,” head coach Ken Bennett said about the team’s first few weeks.

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Topeka West

The Chargers return to the pool with a young roster. Topeka West was unable to qualify anyone for last year’s state championship meet. They did show flashes of success in their home meet last week. Kaden Collette was the stand-out as he took 11th place in the 200-yard freestyle. Robert Haag will try to make an impact in the diving portion of the season. Haag started the season strong with a seventh-place finish in the Chargers’ home meet.

Seaman's Jeremiah Moylan competes in the 500yd freestyle during the Boys Centennial League Championship Thursday Feb. 10, 2022, at Capital Federal Natatorium in Topeka, Kan.
Seaman's Jeremiah Moylan competes in the 500yd freestyle during the Boys Centennial League Championship Thursday Feb. 10, 2022, at Capital Federal Natatorium in Topeka, Kan.

Seaman

The Vikings are coming off a solid year where they finished in 11th place in the state championship. Seaman graduated two of their best swimmers in Colin O’Rourke and Daniel Ramirez, who are both swimming collegiately at Nebraska Wesleyan. Two key swimmers do return with state experience in Jack Pekarek and Jeremiah Moylan. Pekarek took 14th place in the 500-yard freestyle in last year’s state meet. Moylan took 19th in the same race. Kinser Barbosa is another swimmer for the Vikings that will have a good season. He took sixth place in the 100-yard freestyle at the Topeka West Invitational last week.

Seaman's Truman Brede competes in the 200yd medley Saturday Feb. 19, 2022, at Capitol Federal Natatorium in Topeka, Kan.
Seaman's Truman Brede competes in the 200yd medley Saturday Feb. 19, 2022, at Capitol Federal Natatorium in Topeka, Kan.

Shawnee Heights

The Thunderbirds will look to build upon last year’s team that secured ninth place in last year’s state championship. Shawnee Heights graduated Luke Perkins, who qualified for the state meet in all four years of his career. Evan Hoobler and Truman Brede are two swimmers who will make an impact for Shawnee Heights. Hoobler took 12th place in the state championship’s 500-meter freestyle. Brede finished in 10th place in the 100-yard backstroke state title race, too.

Hayden

Last year’s senior-heavy Hayden team finished in 22nd place at the state championship. The Wildcats do not return any individual qualifiers, but Brody Beckman, Liam Stegman and Ryan Carson all featured at the state meet as a member of a relay team. Palmer Heskett will be another strong swimmer for the Wildcats this season. He finished in seventh place in the 200-yard freestyle in last week’s Topeka West Invitational.

Liam Keating covers high school sports for The Topeka Capital-Journal. You can reach him at Lkeating@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: What to know about each Topeka-area high school boys swim team