By Delaney Jackson

Reporter

This year’s swim and dive season started off with a bang, getting two individual state qualifications, and two relay state qualifications in the first meet of the year, SouthRock Invitional. Two divers qualified at the dual meet against Lee’s Summit West on September 2.

SouthRock is a meet hosted by Blue Springs South and Rockhurst every year, and is the first invitational of the year. This year, however, it was different. Rockhurst normally splits its team up into two squads, A squad and B squad, with the best swimmers and divers being on A, and the others on B. But this year Rockhurst split down the middle, putting their best swimmer on A, second best on B, and so on.

At the Southrock Invitational, Jake Workman got his state cut in the 50 freestyle, and he was also on two of the state qualifying relays. Kevin Schlenger also achieved the state cut in diving.

This year, the diving state qualifications got more difficult. It went from being 12.0 degree of difficulty and a score of 210 points to 12.2 degree of difficulty and 230 points, which is a significant change. Missouri State High School Athletics Association, also known as MSHSAA, decided to change the state cut because there were too many qualifiers at state last year, so they had to tighten the standards.

Coach Errich Oberlander, said that the season has started off strong this year.

“We had some pleasant surprises, and an overall very good start to the season,” said Oberlander.

One of the returning senior swimmers this year is Rey Camareno, and he is ready for the season to get into full swing.

“The season has started off pretty well, and I’m really excited to see what our long hours in the pool bring this year,” said Camareno.

Even though Camareno has never swum at state, he has been to the state meet before, as an alternate his sophomore and junior year. This year, he is hoping to get an individual cut in the 500 and 200 freestyle.

Freshman Chase Graham is also looking to get a state cut in the 500 and 200 freestyle, as well as the 100 butterfly. While Graham may only be a freshman, he is one of the fastest swimmers on the team. His goal for this season is to place top eight at state.

At the Lee’s Summit West vs Blue Springs South dual meet, Alex Burt and Cole Greashaber both got state cuts in diving. Greashaber was a state alternate last year, and this is only Burt’s first year of diving, although they both came from a gymnastics background.

The swim and dive team was supposed to compete at Independence Invite at Henley Aquatics Center this weekend, but the meet was cancelled due to a recent spread of cryptosporidium in the pools. At Park Hill South, 23 of the 25 swimmers were sick; they were throwing up and having diarrhea. Cryptosporidium is a bacteria that is commonly transferred through drinking water and pool water. The Park Hill South pool tested clean, but just to be safe, they super shocked every YMCA in the area. Super shocking is when they pour chlorine into the pool, hoping to kill any bacteria that may be in the pool.

The Independence Invite was also cancelled due to the bacteria, and it is unknown if it will be rescheduled.