November 27, 2021

The Lee’s Summit West boys swim and dive team competed in the MSHSAA Class 2 Swim and Dive State Meet on November 12-13 this year. Here are the highlights from the meet.

The Medley Relay team of Jack Ailshire, Connor Bichsel, Caleb Ellis and Leo Kurucs came in first with a time of 1:33.52, which is an All-American consideration time and a new school record.

In the 200 Free, Leo Kurucz finished fourth with a very solid swim and a personal best time of 1:40.85 and Zach Gilmore finished 14th with a season best time during prelims with a 1:46.98, and dug hard to beat a Park Hill South and a Rockhurst swimmer in the B finals heat.

In the 200 IM, Caleb Ellis earned first with a season best time and an All-American consideration time of 1:49.91, followed by Connor Bichsel with a third place finish and a top three personal best time of 1:53.77.

In the 50 Free, Thomas Wozniak tied for second with an amazing finish and a personal best time of :21.28. Jimmie Jansen also made it back to finals, finishing 11th with a personal best time of :22.04 during prelims.

In the 100 Fly, Caleb Ellis finished second with a personal best time of :48.38, which is also a new school record and an automatic All-American time. Jack Ailshire finished fifth with a personal best time during prelims.

In the 100 Free, Leo Kurucz finished second, with a personal best time of :45.77 with one of the best finishes of the weekend, beating out one of Rockhurst’s top swimmers. Thomas Wozniak finished ninth. If he could have moved up into A finals, he would have actually finished seventh with his personal best time of :47.69.

In the 500 Free, Zach Gilmore finished seventh with a time of 4:49.63, after an almost a season best time with a 4:48.37 during prelims.

The 200 Free Relay of Leo Kurucz, Connor Bichsel, Thomas Wozniak and Caleb Ellis won first place against Rockhurst who went on the finals as the number one seed. The team beat Rockhurst by almost a full second, with a 1:24.20, which is a new overall state record, new Class 2 state record, new LSW school record and an auto All-American time. Leo Kurucz also had a huge personal best time leading off this relay with a 21.07.

In the 100 Back, Jack Ailshire finished seventh with a :52.81.

In the 100 Breast, Connor Bichsel took first with a personal best time of :56.93 to beat out a Rockhurst swimmer that was the first seed for finals This is also a new school record and an All-American consideration time. Fineas Howser finished 14th with a personal best time in prelims.

The 400 Free Relay of Thomas Wozniak, Zach Gilmore, Jimmie Jansen and Jack Ailshire held strong at the end of the meet, finishing fourth at finals and on Friday during prelims had all personal best splits.