Paige Riekhof finished off a standout week by helping Park Hill South to the team title in the Flyer Invitational over the weekend in St. Louis, Mo.
The junior standout posted three individual cuts for the Missouri State Swimming and Diving Championships, including one while leading off a victorious relay. Overall, the Panthers won five events and posted 445 points to top the final standings by 135 over second-place Parkway South.
Riekhof won the 100-meter butterfly in 59.74 seconds, while placing second in the 200 freestyle with a state time of 1:57.42. She also led off the 400 freestyle relay with a state cut leg of 54.84, helping Park Hill South to a team state cut.
Allison Garrett, Nadya McCullough and Peyton Wiewel rounded out the 400 team, currently with the No. 7 qualifying time in the state.
Riekhof, Garrett, Georgia Clark and Kirsten Aken opened Lindbergh High School’s home meet with a victory in the 200 medley relay, posting the second fastest time in the state this season (1:51.98). The Panthers beat the second-place team from Francis Howell by almost 2 full seconds.
In addition to Riekhof’s victory in the 100 butterfly, Clark won the meet title in the 200 individual medley (2:10.16), while Garrett won the 100 breaststroke in a state time of 1:09.63. Riekhof, Garrett and Clark have now qualified in five individual events each this year for the Panthers.
North Kansas City Quad
Park Hill defeated all three North Kansas City schools in a meet Tuesday, Dec. 13 at Park Hill District Aquatic Center in Kansas City, Mo. The Trojans edged Staley by 8½ points but dominated Oak Park and North Kansas City.
Overall, Park Hill won five events and qualified a pair of relays for state.
The Trojans’ 200 medley relay team of Nani Welsh, Sophia Lane, Brooklyn Pierce and Emma Will won in a state time of 1:57.60, while the 400 freestyle relay team of Welsh, Pierce, Will and Abigail Culp closed the meet with another victory and another state cut. The 200 freestyle relay continues to work toward a state cut.
Welsh (100 butterfly and 100 backstroke) and Will (200 individual medley) were individual winners for Park Hill.
Park Hill South 175, Lee’s Summit West 126
The Panthers posted or bettered seven state cuts during a dual win Tuesday, Dec. 13 in Lee’s Summit, Mo.
Park Hill South won 9 of 12 events with Garrett (two events), Riekhof (two events) and Clark (one event) posting state cuts. Garrett’s were in the 100 backstroke and 200 freestyle, while Riekhof won the 200 individual medley and 500 freestyle in state qualifying times.
Clark posted the state’s seventh-best time in the 100 butterfly.
In addition, Park Hill South’s 200 medley relay (Clark, Riekhof, Aken and McCullough) and 200 freestyle relay (Garrett, Clark, Riekhof and McCullough) also posted state times, although the Panthers bettered the medley mark over the weekend at Lindbergh. The Panthers’ 400 freestyle relay finished second to Lee’s Summit West to close the meet.