By Chris Parker
There are many talented swimmers across our coverage area. Below are some of the boys swimmers to watch this season.
NOTE: The athletes are listed in alphabetical order.
Kai Brownlee, Nixa Junior
Brownlee had a strong sophomore season that saw him qualify for the Class 2 state meet in two individual events. He was 20th in the 100-yard backstroke with a time of 56.63 while finishing second in the 200-yard freestyle with a time of 1:51.89. Expect those marks to improve as he becomes an upperclassman.
Lucas Chadwell, Glendale Senior
Chadwell came away with four all-state honors from last year’s state meet. He posted matching fifth-place finishes in the 100-yard backstroke (53.60) and the 100-yard freestyle (47.52). In addition, he swam legs on Glendale’s state champion 400-yard freestyle relay and third place 200-yard medley relay.
Graham Eisenmann, Ozark Junior
Eisenmann is one of the area’s top freestyle swimmers. He qualified for the Class 2 state meet in three individual freestyle events along with a relay. The junior finished 9th place in the 200-yard freestyle (1:50.31) as well as matching 21st place finishes in the 200- and 500-yard freestyles (1:50.31 and 5:03.15). His final state event was swimming a leg on Ozark’s 15th place finishing 400-yard freestyle relay.
Trey Flouer, Glendale Senior
Flouer is one of three returning Glendale swimmers who won four all-state honors as last year’s Class 1 state meet. Individually, Flouer finished third place in the 100-yard backstroke (53.15) and the 100-yard butterfly (52.79). He also swam legs on Glendale’s state champion 400-yard freestyle relay and third-place 200-yard medley relay.
Caden Hendee, Rogersville Senior
Hendee is the area’s top returning swimmer in the breaststroke. He finished sixth at the Class 1 state meet with a time of 1:00.65 last season. He is one of just five returning area swimmers who earned a top eight finish at either the Class 1 or 2 state meet last year.
Michael Jasinski, Glendale Senior
Jasinski is the unquestioned top returning swimmer in the area. He qualified for the Class 1 state meet in four events last year and did not finish lower than second in any of the events. Jasinski brought home gold in the 100-yard freestyle (46.20), 200-yard freestyle relay and 400-yard freestyle relay. He was second in the 200-yard freestyle individually with a time of 1:39.72.
Isaac Kammerer, West Plains Junior
Kammerer will be looking to earn all-state honors after a strong sophomore season that saw him qualify for the state meet in two events. He finished 13th in the 200-yard freestyle with a time of 1:52.16 and 15th place in the 500-yard freestyle with a time of 5:07.78.
Evan Riley, Glendale Junior
Riley is the area’s top diver returning after finishing second in the Class 1 diving competition with a scored of 444.35. That mark was the eight-best mark among the 46 divers that competed in both the Class 1 and 2 state meets.
Dakota Windsor, Lebanon Junior
Windsor will be the leader for the Lebanon swim program after he earned two state qualifications last year. Windsor just missed out on an all-state honor in the 100-yard butterfly where he finished ninth overall. He was 12th in the 200-yard individual medley with a time of 2:04.86.