Adnover Central Repeats as Kansas Boy’s 1-5A State Champions

2022 KSHSAA 1-5A State Championships

Wichita Collegiate had an explosive start to the Saturday finals session of the 2022 1-5A KSHASS State Championships, claiming titles in the first two events of the day, as well as one state record. Collegiate started their campaign with a victory in the 200 medley relay, touching the wall in 1:26.15, just missing the state record set the day prior during Friday’s prelims session by Derek Yang (26.26), Paul Mines (25.76), Joseph Gadalla (22.39), and Adam Sandid (20.97). It was the same four who captured the title by over 4 seconds during Saturday’s finals session. Moments later, Sandid was back in the water racing the 200 freestyle, which he won in a 1:39.92, shaving nearly a full second from the previous record of 1:40.81, set in 2018 by Topeka-Seaman’s Zeke Metz.

Sandid later placed 2nd in the 100 freestyle in a time of 45.83, finishing just behind 50 freestyle winner Regan Richardson from Maize South, who touched in 45.65. Richardson, as well as Lawrence-Bishop Seabury Academy’s Ian Blake, were the only swimmers to win 2 individual events in the 1-5A State Championships. Blake won the 100 butterfly in 51.85, and later the 100 breaststroke in 57.84, over 1.5 seconds ahead of runner-up Matthew Janssen from the Wichita Independent School. Janssen had his turn atop the podium earlier in the day with a victory in the 200 IM, stopping the clock in 1:55.91.

Frank Alberti, a sophomore from Wichita-Kapaun Mt Carmel, was the youngest individual event winner in the 1-5A meet, taking the 100 backstroke in 51.50, just 0.09 ahead of Wichita Independent’s Daniel Jekov. Both Alberti and Jekov finished nearly 2 seconds ahead of the 3rd-place finisher, Jackson Burrus, also from Wichita-Kapaun Mt Carmel, who touched in 53.29.

Andover Central’s Lucas Kreuger won the 500 freestyle in 4:44.54, making him the only 1-5A state champion with a time faster than the 6A state champion. Though Kreuger was the only individual event winner from Andover Central, the team’s depth helped them pull through to win the overall team title. In addition to Kreuger, Andover Central placed three swimmers in the top-8 of the 500, finishing 1st (Kreuger, 4:44.54), 3rd (Brian Nguyen, 4:50.21), and 5th (Ethan Finney, 5:02.61). Though Kreuger is a senior, Nguyen is only a freshman and Finney a sophomore, a possible signal that this will remain a strong event for Andover Central in the years ahead.

Emporia’s Braxton Higgins won the 1-meter diving contest with 428.15 points, far out-pacing runner-up Cooper Cobb from Salina Central who scored 353.45 points.

Individual Event Winners

  • 200 Medley Relay: Wichita Collegiate, 1:35.38
  • 200 Freestyle: Adam Sandid, Wichita Collegiate, 1:39.92 (1-5A KSHSAA State Record)
  • 200 IM: Matthew Janssen, Wichita Independent, 1:55.91
  • 50 Freestyle: Regan Richardson, Maize South, 21.17
  • 1-Meter Diving: Braxton Higgins, Emporia, 428.15 points
  • 100 Butterfly: Ian Blake, Lawrence-Bishop Seabury Academy, 51.85
  • 100 Freestyle: Regan Richardson, Maize South, 45.65
  • 500 Freestyle Relay: Lucas Krueger, Andover Central, 4:44.54
  • 200 Freestyle Relay: Wichita Collegiate, 1:26.15
  • 100 Backstroke: Frank Alberti, Wichita-Kapaun Mt. Carmel, 51.50
  • 100 Breaststroke: Ian Blake, Lawrence-Bishop Seabury Academy, 57.84
  • 400 Freestyle Relay: Andover Central, 3:17.41

Top-10 Teams

  1. Andover Central – 300 points
  2. Wichita-Kapaun Mt Carmel – 277.5 points
  3. Wichita Collegiate – 242.5 points
  4. Andover High – 173 points
  5. Overland Park-Blue Valley Southwest – 122.5 points
  6. Maize South – 122 points
  7. Wichita-Bishop Carroll – 115 points
  8. Tecumseh-Shawnee Heights – 106 points
  9. Shawnee-Mill Valley – 87.5 points
  10. Great Bend – 81 points

Team Winners Since 2010

  • 2022 – Andover Central
  • 2021 – Andover Central
  • 2020 – Wichita Independent School
  • 2019 – Wichita Heights
  • 2018 – Topeka Seaman
  • 2017 – Wichita Heights
  • 2016 – Maize
  • 2015 – Wichita Heights
  • 2014 – Shawnee Mission-Bishop Miege
  • 2013 – Shawnee Mission South
  • 2012 – Stillwell-Blue Valley
  • 2011 – Stillwell-Blue Valley
  • 2010 – Salina South

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About Reid Carlson

Reid Carlson

Reid Carlson originally hails from Clay Center, Kansas, where he began swimming at age six with the Clay Center Tiger Sharks, a summer league team. At age 14 he began swimming club year-round with the Manhattan Marlins (Manhattan, KS), which took some convincing from his mother as he was very …

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