The Rockhurst Aquahawks kicked off their postseason in strong fashion last Tuesday night, winning the 2022 Boys Independent League Championship by more than 200 points over their nearest competitor. The Independent League Championship marks the end of the season for some swimmers and divers, but it also gives some the chance to earn a last minute state-qualifying time.

Rockhurst’s divers started out the meet strong, earning Rockhurst a 59-point lead. Sophomore Logan Flores placed second with a score of 333.5 points, senior Maddox Rine third with 324.35, sophomore Thomas Misemer fifth with 282.95 and sophomore Zach Brown seventh with a score of 227.35.

Swimming finals started with the 200 yard medley relay, where Rockhurst placed second place by 0.21 seconds, with the relay team consisting of junior William Rebman, freshman Matthew Warren, sophomore Henry Huber and sophomore Grant Goforth. 

Next was the 200 yard freestyle, where sophomore Cooper Riddle placed third with a time of 1:51:68, sophomore Charlie Huber fourth with a 1:54.09, sophomore Taumr Sutton fifth with a 1:54.61 and sophomore Ian Kennedy sixth with a 1:55.53. 

Following the 200 yard freestyle was the 200 yard individual medley, where Warren, the freshman, placed third with a time of 2:07.40 and qualified for state. 

“After my race I felt really good, because I had just dropped four seconds, and now I am so relieved and so ready for state,” said Warren. 

Also in the 200 yard individual medley, sophomore Soren Ursick placed fourth with a time of 2:17.36, Henry Huber fifth with a 2:18.17 and senior Caleb Teeven sixth with a 2:19.16.

Next was the 50 yard freestyle, where junior Charlie Penner placed fourth with a time of 22.80 seconds and qualified for state. 

“I can’t believe I went from swimming on the junior varsity team to qualifying for state in just two months,” said Penner. 

Goforth placed seventh with a time of 23.16, junior Gus Moseley ninth with a 23.34 and junior John Holewinski eleventh with a 24.50.

Next was the 100 yard butterfly, where Goforth placed third with a time of 57.35 seconds and Charlie Huber fourth with a 57.56 seconds, both qualifying for state.

After the heat sheet came out on Sunday and Huber took the last qualifying place for state, he said “in the end [his] hard work paid off and [he is] very excited and surprised about qualifying for state.”

Senior Brendan Lillis placed sixth with a time of 58.12 seconds and Teeven eighth with a 1:00.19.

Following the 100 yard butterfly was the 100 yard freestyle. Riddle placed fourth with a time of 50.02 seconds and qualified for state.

“Each race felt like it built off the one before. Like, someone would swim super well and get everyone hyped for the next race,” said Riddle. “I’m also very excited to swim at state.”

Penner placed fifth with a time of 50.79 seconds, Kennedy eighth with a 52.84 and Moseley tenth with a 53.23.

After the 100 yard freestyle was the 500 yard freestyle, where Sutton placed second with a time of 5:07.74 and qualified for state.

After his race, Sutton said that he was “super happy to finally [swim his] state [qualifying] time because all of [his] hard work [had] finally paid off.”

Ursick placed third with a time of 5:14.53 and sophomore Noah Plunkett fourth with a 5:22.93.

Next was the 200 yard freestyle relay where Rockhurst placed second with a time of 1:33.33. The relay team consisted of junior Jude Sojka, Henry Huber, Goforth and Penner.  

Following the 200 yard freestyle relay was the 100 yard backstroke. Rebman placed fifth with a time of 58.77 seconds, Henry Huber sixth with a 1:01.11, Lillis eighth with a 1:04.40 and freshman Johnny Salido ninth with a 1:07.78.

After the 100 yard backstroke was the 100 yard breaststroke, where Warren placed second with a time of 1:04.80, Holewinski fifth with a 1:08.63, sophomore JJ Frank sixth with a 1:08.99 and Plunkett placed eleventh with a 1:18.49.

The last event of the meet was the 400 freestyle relay, and Rockhurst placed first by a margin of more than 13 seconds with a time of 3:25.36. The relay team consisted of Charlie Huber, Rebman, Riddle and Penner.

In the end, the Rockhurst AquaHawks scored 572 points, placing first out of the nine teams competing.

“The Conference Championship is the meet that kicks off our postseason and sets the tone for the state championship,” said head coach Paul Winkler. “These boys led the way and showed that the taper has worked wonders. They brought back Day 2, and our divers stepped up to dominate. I’m very proud of how the team prepared and executed.”

Next, the Rockhurst AquaHawks will be competing at state in St. Louis on November 10 and 11, with the state roster consisting of seniors Brian Bessenbacher, Caden Francois, Henry Kemp, Tony Orrick, George Rebman, Tate Slaymaker, Carson Smith, Owen Stuckey, John Switzer and John Tietjen, juniors Evan Crim, Blake Francois, Charlie Penner and Jude Sojka, sophomores Andrew Baklanov, Joseph Douglas, Grant Goforth, Charlie Huber, Cooper Riddle, Taumr Sutton and Alex Wolf, and freshman Josh Battison and Matthew Warren. The AquaHawks will be competing to earn their third consecutive and fourteenth overall state title.