LEXINGTON - In a light day of accomplishments for Northern Kentucky high school swimmers, Ryle and Highlands shined the brightest.
Ryle had a historic day at the KHSAA state swimming championships sponsored by UK HealthCare.
The Raiders scored 102 points to finish fifth in the team standings at UK’s Lancaster Aquatic Center.
“We’ve never been top 25, so we’ve moved up a lot,” said head coach Jeff Floyd. “We had a goal of trying to get to 100 points. We got to 102, which is amazing. We’re very young and we’re very excited. I couldn’t be more proud of them.”
Ryle scored points in all three relays, finishing in the top seven to win medals in the 200 freestyle relay and the 400 freestyle relay. Both of those relays broke school records.
Senior Parker Coop broke school records in the 200 freestyle and 500 freestyle, reaching the consolation final in both events to score points.
Junior Blake Koenigsknecht scored points in both of his solo events. Junior Roman Furuta scored in one event. They led the relays with Coop, eighth-grader Chase Knopf and Andy Pleiman.
Ryle is fourth in the combined standings as the girls meet takes place tomorrow, with preliminary heats at 10 a.m. and the finals at 6:45 p.m.
Ryle won the girls championship in Region 7 and the Raiders were the combined regional champions, and they are hoping for similar accolades at the state level.
“The upperclassmen have really come into their own, and our superstar eighth grade and freshmen boys have really handled the pressure and given us depth we didn’t have before,” Floyd said. “ It’s truly a depth things. At the state talent, we have talent and we never had that before. I’m thrilled for these boys. For so long, our program has been known for the success of the girls, and now the boys have earned their place We’re excited for the girls tomorrow. We’re a true program now and that’s an amazing feat for us.”
Highlands senior Sam Jones won two state medals Friday, finishing sixth in the 500 freestyle and eighth in the 200 free. He was the only local swimmer to win a solo medal. Highlands also medaled in the 400 freestyle relay.
Calvary Christian senior Caleb Howard scored points in both of his solo events. Other locals to score points in solo events included Covington Catholic senior Nick Bonta, Highlands senior Ben Vaught and St. Henry junior Austin Cutcher.
State results
Team scores: 5. Ryle 102, 10. Highlands 79, 16. Covington Catholic 39, 26. St. Henry 18, 27. Dixie Heights 17, 32. Covington Latin 9, 35. Calvary Christian 7.
50 freestyle: 11. Caleb Howard (Calvary Christian) 21.93, 18. Luka Kampinga (CovCath) 22.55, 22. Charlie Banks (Highlands) 22.83, 25. Bode Russell (Highlands) 22.95, 26. Andy Pleiman (Ryle) 22.99, 31. Lake Durrett (St. Henry) 23.32, 38. Rene Reil (Dixie Heights) 23.65.
100 freestyle: 16. Caleb Howard (Calvary Christian) 50.13, 18. Chase Knopf (Ryle) 49.49, 19. Luka Kampinga (CovCath) 49.49, 20. Bode Russell (Highlands) 49.65, 24. Andy Pleiman (Ryle) 49.87, 25. Zach Stephens (Ryle) 50.46, 26. Chanith Abeysinghe (Highlands) 50.73, 33. Lake Durrett (St. Henry) 51.17, 35. Rene Reil (Dixie Heights) 51.38.
200 freestyle: 8. Sam Jones (Highlands) 1:46.07, 14. Parker Coop (Ryle) 1:46.57, 21. Austin Cutcher (St. Henry) 1:48.50, 24. Adam Pawlak (Highlands) 1:48.85, 25. Nick Bonta (CovCath) 1:49.19, 27. Evan Jones (Highlands) 1:49.55, 29. Chase Knopf (Ryle) 1:49.73, 35. Robbie Bright (CovCath) 1:52.95.
500 freestyle: 6. Sam Jones (Highlands) 4:39.19, 9. Austin Cutcher (St. Henry) 4:43.81, 10. Parker Coop (Ryle) 4:45.07, 17. Liam Connelly (Covington Latin) 4:51.68, 30. Evan Jones (Highlands) 5:02.87, 32. Robbie Bright (CovCath) 5:03.17.
100 backstroke: 10. Nick Bonta (CovCath) 53.35, 14. Blake Koenigsknecht (Ryle) 54.05, 23. Hayden Hasson (Highlands) 56.56, 25. Samuel Zehnder (Ryle) 57.20, 26. Jack Kreutzjans (CovCath) 57.44.
100 breaststroke: 12. Benjamin Vaught (Highlands) 1:00.58, 17. Griffin Barlow (Highlands) 1:01.37, 19. Matt Herfel (Highlands) 1:02.15, 29. Ty Dropic (Villa Madonna) 1:02.92, 34. Reece Guthier (Highlands) 1:05.11, 36. Zach Stephens (Ryle) 1:05.35.
100 butterfly: 21. Roman Furuta (Ryle) 54.15, 28. Adam Pawlak (Highlands) 55.42, 32. Spencer Doerger (Holy Cross) 55.62,
200 individual medley: 9. Liam Connelly (Cov. Latin) 1:56.98, 11. Blake Koenigsknecht (Ryle) 1:58.48, 13. Roman Furuta (Ryle) 2:00, 17. Ty Dropic (Villa Madonna) 2:01.22, 18. Matt Herfel (Highlands) 2:01.59, 19. Benjamin Vaught (Highlands) 2:01.63, 37. Reece Guthier (Highlands) 2:08.11.
200 medley relay: T10: Highlands (Jones, Vaught, Pawlak, Banks) and Ryle (Knopf, Pleiman, Koenigsknecht, Stephens) 1:39.70, 13. Covington Catholic (Bonta, House, Ayres, Kampinga) 1:41.51, 21. St. Henry (Cutcher, Boh, Lange, Durrett) 1:46.99.
200 freestyle relay: 5. Ryle (Furuta, Stephens, Coop, Pleiman) 1:29.87, 11. Highlands (Russell, Abeysinghe, Herfel, Banks) 1:31.90, 13. CovCath (Ayres, House, Smith, Stetter) 1:32.46, 27. Scott (Hunt, Camilleri, Smith, Grubb) 1:36.84, 34. Cooper (McClain, Beltran, Robling, LaCroix) 1:40.45.
400 freestyle relay: 6. Highlands (Pawlak, E. Jones, Russell, S. Jones) 3:16.72, 7. Ryle (Furuta, Koenigsknecht, Coop, Knopf) 3:17.47, 16. St. Henry (Cutcher, Lange, Boh, Durrett) 3:30.95, 22. Scott (Camilleri, Metzger, Smith, Grubb) 3:33.88, 31. Simon Kenton (Moore, Bird, Menker, Daily) 3:47.44, DQ: CovCath, Cooper.
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