Shelton Leads 500 Free, 100 Breast Prelims at Kansas 5-1A Girl’s State

2018 Kansas High School Girl’s 5A-1A State Championships

Lexie Shelton, a sophomore from Bishop Carroll High School in Wichita, is one of two swimmers leading in two individual events going into tomorrow’s finals at the Kansas 5-1A Girl’s State Championships at the Topeka-Hummer Sports Complex in Topeka, KS.

Shelton, who entered the meet as the top seed in both the 500 freestyle and 100 breaststroke, has thus far held her position in both races. Shelton put up a 5:13.34 in the 500 free to slide under her seed time by a little over a second-and-a-half. Shelton is followed by Seabury Academy’s Ella Blake who sits 2nd at 5:15.64. Blake also commands the top seed in the 200 free going into tomorrow’s final at a 1:58.91.

Shelton also leads the field in the 100 breast with a 1:07.38, barely ahead of Jesse Paxton of St. Thomas Aquinas, who registered a 1:07.45. Were Shelton or Paxton racing the 100 breast in the 6A meet, they would hold the 3rd and 4th seeds, respectively, going into tomorrow’s finals.

Bishop Carroll’s Sydney Schmidt, a junior, leads the field in both the 50 free and the 100 fly. Schmidt clocked a 24.14 in the 50 to take the lead by nearly a second over freshman Brooklyn Blasdel of Maize who touched in 25.03, and a 57.36 in the 100 fly, making her barely faster than the two swimmers who are tied for 1st in the 6A competition at 57.45.

Overall, the Girl’s 5-1A State Championship is a rather young meet, with relatively few seniors advancing to either the A or B finals throughout the 9 individual events. The only event featuring a senior as the top seed going into tomorrow’s finals is the 100 free, which is led by Cassie Grunhard with a 55.18, representing Bishop Miege High School. Grunhard is followed by another senior, Katherine Baldessari, from Kapaun Mt. Carmel, who clocked a 55.25.

St. Thomas Aquinas High School leads in the 200 freestyle relay with a 1:41.54, and the 200 medley relay with a 1:52.91. Kapaun Mt. Carmel leads the 400 freestyle relay with a 3:45.76.

Top Qualifiers by Event:

  • 200 Medley Relay: St. Thomas Aquinas – 1:52.91
  • 200 Free: Ella Blake, Seabury Academy – 1:58.91
  • 200 IM: Natalie Knapp, Kapaun Mt. Carmel – 2:15.90
  • 50 Free: Sydney Schmidt, Bishop Carroll – 24.14
  • 1 Meter Diving: Elise Dahm, Blue Valley Southwest – 199.95
  • 100 Fly: Sydney Schmidt, Bishop Carroll – 57.36
  • 100 Free: Cassie Grunhard, Bishop Miege – 55.18
  • 500 Free: Lexie Shelton, Bishop Carroll – 5:13.34
  • 200 Free Relay: St. Thomas Aquinas – 1:41.54
  • 100 Back: Elizabeth Mitsch, Kapaun Mt. Carmel – 1:00.42
  • 100 Breast: Lexie Shelton, Bishop Carroll – 1:07.38
  • 400 Free Relay: Kapaun Mt. Carmel – 3:45.76.

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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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