Park Hill and Park Hill South finished in a virtual dead heat in on the of the biggest and most competitive meets of the season this past weekend. In a 22-team field, Park Hill South tied for fifth with Liberty at 178 points in the Kansas City Classic on Saturday, Oct. 10 — 54 back of champion Rockhurst. Park Hill came in seventh with 176 points behind a big performance from senior Marcin Glebocki, who placed second in the 50-yard freestyle, fifth in the 100 freestyle and swam on the runner-up 400 freestyle relay team.
Park Hill South displayed its depth with Garrett Jackson recording the Panthers’ best finish — fourth in the 100 backstroke at 55.26. Ben Milburn, who placed eighth, joined Jackson as a qualifier for the Missouri State Swimming and Diving Championships by reaching a qualifying mark at the meet — one of eight events to do so.
Tyler Dunn (10th, 200 freestyle), Connor Morris (seventh, 500 freestyle), Daniel Miller (sixth, 100 breaststroke) and Stephen Heit (sixth, 200 individual medley) also posted state times. The Panthers’ 200 freestyle, 400 freestyle and 200 medley relays also qualified.
Overall, Park Hill South now has 11 events qualified for state.
Park Hill didn’t post any new state times but already has 18 events qualified, including all three relays. Most of the events are individual efforts from Glebocki, Jered Weger and Danny Jones, who placed fourth in the 200 individual medley (2:04.42).
Glebocki came in less than a half a second back of Cape Girardeau Central’s Reagan Ragsdale in the 50 freestyle (21.74 to 22.17). Glebocki was about 3 seconds back of Kickapoo’s Samuel Senn in the 100 freestyle (49.97 to 47.00).
In addition to Jones and Glebocki, Park Hill’s Daniel Spielhagen came in fifth in the 500 freestyle (5:04.27). The Trojans’ 400 freestyle relay team also grabbed a runner-up finish, coming in about 2 seconds back of Kickapoo.
Joe Arbisi Tiger Invitational
Platte County couldn’t quite defend its title, finishing third in the 11-team Saturday, Oct. 10 in Sedalia, Mo.
Nick Kunels won the 50-yard freestyle, and Bryce Bearden and Justin Richardson went 1-2 in the 1-meter diving for the Pirates. Kunels added a second in the 100 freestyle, helping Platte County finish with 340 points — 27 back of Raymore-Peculiar and 33 behind champion Hannibal.
All three of Platte County’s relays finished in the top four with the 200 medley team of Bailey Shepherd, Caden DeLay, Josh Richardson and Kunels placing second in 1:50.22. Warrensburg wont he event in 1:48.56.
Platte County did not qualify any individuals for state with Justin Richardson (1-meter diving) the lone athlete to hit a qualifying mark this season.
Liberty Triangular
Platte County lost duals with Liberty and Liberty North on Tuesday, Oct. 6 in Liberty, Mo. The Pirates’ lone wins came from Kunels in the 50-yard freestyle (24.33) and DeLay in the 100 breaststroke (1:08.12).
In the 200-yard medley relay, Platte County’s team of Korey Presnell, John Cogdill, Richardson and Kunels finished in 1:49.83, losing out to Liberty North’s top team by 0.31 of a second.