By Jason Lawrence
Special to the Citizen
Fresh off a top 10 finish at the Class 2 Missouri State Swimming and Diving Championships, the expectations for the Park Hill boys’ swim team haven’t changed.
With the majority of the swimmers responsible for the Trojans’ 96 points and 10th place finish returning, veteran head coach Karl Haley has expectations for his team to build on its 2017 dual record of 9-4 and second place finish in the Suburban Conference Gold Division.
“We have a large, experienced group of seniors that should provide us with the depth to make a real challenge for the conference meet,” Haley said.
With four individual state qualifiers returning, and seven total including relay participants, the Trojans are well-positioned to make good on the expectations of a repeat top-10 performance at state and a conference title.
While Zach O’Conor, who finished 11th at state in the 100-yard breaststroke, graduated and Jordan Timmerman moved to Colorado after posting a state-qualifying time in the 100-yard freestyle, the roster is far from bare for Haley, assistant coach David Gourley and diving coach Katie Mayabb.
Park Hill qualified all three relays – 200-yard medley, 200-yard freestyle and 400-yard freestyle — for state and captured medals in the 400- and 200-yard freestyles, finishing fifth and seventh, respectively. Junior Mark Foster also medaled in diving, finishing eighth as a sophomore.
Seniors Nick (100-yard butterfly) and Hunter Dieffenbach (100-yard freestyle) and Sam Duesterhaus (500-yard freestyle) also return after qualifying individually a season ago. Senior Patrick Lee, junior Alex Dunlevy and sophomore Jake Fickenscher also return after advancing to state last year as part of the relay teams.
Haley also expects Ray Fugett and Eli Stammler to make immediate contributions as freshmen this season.