S-C swimmers win conference title

Ehan Sherman and the Smith-Cotton boys swimming team enjoyed quite a bit of success Saturday at Harrisonville.

Sherman earned a state-qualifying time and broke a school record in the 100-yard freestyle and set a meet record in the 500 freestyle at the West Central Conference meet.

Quinton Dobnikar, Jason Joy and the 400 freestyle relay broke meet records, leading Smith-Cotton to the conference championship.

S-C finished with 303.5 points. St. Pius X was second with 249, Harrisonville third with 242 and O’Hara fourth in 133.5.

Sherman finished the 500 freestyle in 5:19.59 and the 100 freestyle in 51.49 seconds, which was the state qualifying time. The old school record was 51.80 that had stood since 1982.

He posted the time in the first leg of the 400 freestyle relay. Dobnikar, Blake Gerke, Joy and Sherman won the relay in 3:47.09.

Dobnikar won the diving competition, which was held Friday night at Sedalia Middle School, with a score of 391.35. Joy won the 100 freestyle in 54.28.

Smith-Cotton won the 200 freestyle relay but did not set a meet record. Dobnikar, Gerke, Joy and Sherman won in 1:39.98. Joy won the 50 freestyle in 24.98.

The winners of each event earned first-team all-conference, the runners-up made the second team, and the third-place finishers received honorable mention.

Smith-Cotton swimmers who made the second team were Sherman in the 200 individual medley (2:15.79), Dillon Clawson in the 500 freestyle (6:25.91) and Gerke in the 100 backstroke (1:09.36).

Dobnikar in the 200 freestyle (2:12.97) and Brendan Hurley in the 100 breaststroke (1:26.20) earned honorable mentions.