Highland Splash repeat as conference champions

The Highland Splash entered Saturday’s Midwest Swim Conference Championship at O’Fallon as the prohibitive favorite to repeat as the team champion, and they did not disappoint after separating themselves from the runner-up team by nearly 300 points by the time the season-ending meet came to a close.

After claiming the program’s first conference championship in the program’s 36-year history one year ago, Highland swam to a perfect, unbeaten regular season by going 11-0 in dual meets, before going on to add another chapter to the history books by repeating as Midwest Swim Conference champions.

Getting placements up and down the lineup, the Highland racked up an impressive final team score of 2,312 points to easily fend off the host O’Fallon Breakers, who finished in a distant second place at 2,033.5.

The rest of the conference combatants were left even further back in the Splash’s wake: St. Clair Country Club (1,656), Dorchester Dolphins (1,167), Freeburg Waves (1,007), Dupo Hilltoppers (784), Westhaven Waves (603.5), Scott Air Force Base Sharks (496),

“I was pretty confident after analyzing the results and statistics leading up to conference,” said Highland co-head coach Ryan Poss, who shares the head coaching duties with Alex Rinderer and they are assisted by Joel Mason and Abby Rinderer. “We were projected to score a certain number of points. We were projected to score 2,306 points and we ended up scoring 2,312 and we were projected to win by 220 points. Our kids were all ranked higher and there no was no place to go but down.

“We had several mistakes or we could have scored even more, but we had improvements in certain areas that made up for our mistakes and equalized our team score, and that allowed us to win by an even larger margin.”

Alex Rinderer said on Monday morning that it was finally hitting her that Highland was able to pull off another conference championship.

“The swimmers came out and did what they were supposed to do,” she said. “We asked them to drop time and win their heat and most of them did that. Of course there were going to be mistakes, but no one got frustrated or down. They just kept showing up and swimming great!”

Poss said everybody stepped up and played their part, but the most notable age divisions were the 11-12 boys, the 15-18 boys, and the 8 and under girls.

“I believe the 11-12 boys scored the most points of any age group,” Poss said. “They got second, third, fourth and fifth in at least three events. The 15-18 boys got first and second in there or four or five events which is really unheard of. And the 8 and under girls stepped up. That’s really the fun part of the meet is the swimmers that step up and improve and do better than what was expected.”

Shattering records

Highland shattered team records in 11 different individual events, led by 16-year-old Victoria Thomae.

No one from all eight teams was more special at the Midwest Conference Championships than Highland Splash swimmer Victoria Thomae, a 16-year-old who was the High Point champion in the girls 15-18 age division after sweeping all three of her individual events. Thomae not only won gold in her races, but she also shattered her own Splash team records in all three of her events:

▪ Girls 15-18 100-meter freestyle with a new standard-setting time of 1:00.3

▪ Girls 15-18 100-meter breaststroke with a new record-setting time of 1:16.6

▪ Girls 15-18 100-meter individual medley with a new standard-setting time of 1:10.5

Other Highland team records eclipsed at the conference meet were:

▪ The winning boys 15-18 200-meter freestyle relay team (along with their age) of Gunnar Kohlbrecher (17), Max Gibbs (16), Dylan Galbiati (17), Jonathan Olson (16), who not only teamed up to capture first place, but also broke the Splash’s record with a team time of 1:45.56

▪ The winning boys 11-12 200-meter freestyle relay team of Galen Kohlbrecher (12), Cam Runge (12), Javier DeLaCruz (12) and Jude Henke (12) with a team time of 2:11.40

▪ Gunnar Kohlbrecher, who won the boys 15-18 100-meter freestyle with a time of 55.97

▪ Max Gibbs, who won the boys 15-18 100-meter backstroke with a time of 1:02.7

▪ Sean McGinley, who won the boys 8 and under 25-meter freestyle with a time of 16.06 seconds

▪ Tucker Stephens, who won the boys 8 and under 25-meter breaststroke with a time of 21.07

▪ Trey Stephens, who finished second in the boys 13-14 50-meter butterfly with a time of 29.73

▪ The girls 15-18 200-meter freestyle relay team of Alyssa Freimann (16), Addison Rinderer (16), Maggie Heinrich (15) and Victoria Thomae (16), who finished second with a team time of 2:02.50

Other Splash swimmers claiming victory

In addition to Thomae sweeping all three of her individual events, Highland had four other swimmers win two races apiece:

▪ Gunnar Kohlbrecher won the boys 15-18 100 freestyle (55.97) and the boys 15-18 50 butterfly (28.88);

▪ Dylan Galbiati won the boys 15-18 100 breaststroke (1:12.24) and the boys 15-19 100 individual medley (1:04.62);

▪ Sean McGinley won the boys 8 and under 25 freestyle (16.35) and the boys 8 and under 25 backstroke (19.82)

▪ Tucker Stephens won the boys 8 and under breaststroke (21.07) and the boys 8 and under 25 butterfly (17.94)

Also winning one race each for Highland were Galen Kohlbrecher in the boys 11-12 50 freestyle (31.18), Javier DeLaCruz in the boys 11-12 50 breaststroke (41.68), and Masyn Smith in the boys 9-10 25 butterfly (17.63).

Highland also won two other relay events in addition to the two record-breaking relays. Also winning relays for the Splash were: the boys 15-18 200-meter medley relay team of Max Gibbs (16, backstroke), Dylan Galbiati (17, breaststroke), Trey Stephens (14, butterfly) and Ethan Drysdale (14, freestyle) with a team time of 1:59.26; and the girls 9-10 100 freestyle relay team of Anna Henke (9), Jackie Barkus (10), Ella Drysdale (10) and Baylie Wells (10) with a team time of 1:08.23.

Splash also had many others score points

Securing strong second-place finishes for Highland in their respective evens were: Dylan Galbiati in the boys 15-18 50 butterfly (28.90), Trey Stephens in the boys 13-14 50 butterfly (29.73), Jude Henke, second in the the boys 11-12 100 individual medley (1:23.19) and second the boys 11-12 50 backstroke (39.54); Masyn Smith in the boys 10 and under 100 individual medley (1:30.18) and boys 9-10 25 backstroke (20.19), Gunnar Kohlbrcher in the boys 15-18 100 backstroke (1:09.09), Max Gibbs, second in the boys 15-18 100 individual medley (1:05.42); Jonny Olson in the boys 15-18 100 freestyle (57.59), Ryan Tolbert in the boys 9-10 25 butterfly (17.72), Tucker Stephens in the boys 8 and under 25 freestyle (16.89), and Anna Henke in the girls 9-10 25 breaststroke (20.57).

Also placing in the top five for the Splash were: Jonny Olson, third in the boys 15-18 50 butterfly (29.86); Galen Kohlrecher, third in the boys 11-12 individual medley (1:23.19) and third in the boys 11-12 50 butterfly (38.14); Max Gibbs, third in the boys 15-18 100 freestyle (58.79); Jonny Olson, third in the boys 15-18 100 individual medley (1:09.57); Gavin Kohlbrecher, third in the boys 15-18 100 backstroke (1:13.45); Taryn Stephens, third in the girls 11-12 50 breaststroke (40.18), fourth in the girls 11-12 100 individual medley (1:19.97) and fifth in the girls 11-12 50 butterfly (36.28); Cam Runge, third in the boys 11-12 50 backstroke (40.75); Jude Henke, third in the boys 11-12 50 breaststroke (42.28); Baylie Wells, third in the girls 9-10 25 freestyle (16.19) and third in the girls 10 and under 100 individual medley (1:32.33); Ella Drysdale, third in the girls 9-10 25 backstroke (19.74); Dalton Balint, third in the boys 8 and under 25 backstroke (24.14); Trey Stephens, fourth in the boys 13-14 100 freestyle (1:00.44); Tess Korte, fourth in the girls 13-14 50 butterfly (33.52); Ben Walter, fourth in the boys 13-14 100 breaststroke (1:19.23) and fifth in the boys 13-14 100 backstroke (1:11.54); Nora Thiems, fourth in the girls 13-14 100 breaststroke (1:28.14); Javier DeLaCruz, fourth in the boys 11-12 100 individual medley (1:24.13); Madeleine Schmidt, fourth in the girls 11-12 50 freestyle (31.49) and fourth in the girls 11-12 50 backstroke (36.63); John Nyquist, fourth in the boys 11-12 50 backstroke (41.28): Ryan Tolbert, fourth in the boys 10 and under 100 individual medley (1:37.11); Jackie Barkus, fourth in the girls 9-10 25 butterfly (17.95); Alyssa Freimann, fifth in the girls 15-18 50 butterfly (32.03) and tied for fifth in the girls 15-18 100 freestyle (1:08.33); Trey Stephens, fifth in the boys 13-14 100 individual medley (1:09.21); Patrick McGinley, fifth in the boys 11-12 50 butterfly (40.12); Ella Drysdale, fifth in the girls 9-10 25 freestyle (16.48); Dalton Balint, fifth in the boys 8 and under 25 freestyle (18.60); Jackie Barkus, fifth in the girls 9-10 25 backstroke (20.73); and Natalie Chalfant, fifth in the girls 8 and under 25 butterfly (25.43).

Highland Splash relay teams that also placed in the top five were: the boys 12 and under 100 medley relay team of Cam Runge (11, backstroke), Jude Henke (12, breaststroke), Ryan Tolbert (10, butterfly) and Masyn Smith (10, freestyle), second place (1:13.89); the girls 11-12 200 freestyle relay team of KJ Freimann (12), Macy Smith (12), Ally Janson (12) and Olivia Conrad (12), second place (2:11.10); the girls 8 and under 100 freestyle relay team of Emily Geisen (8), Natalie Chalfant (6), Katelyn Redman (8) and Addie Embry (8), second place (1:28.70); the girls 13-18 200 medley relay team of Bella Roberts (13, backstroke), Victoria Thomae (16, breaststroke), Alyssa Freimann (16, butterfly), Tess Korte (14, freestyle), third place (2:16.03); the boys 13-14 200 freestyle relay team of Ben Walter (13), Trey Stephens (14), Andrew Thomae (14) and Ethan Drysdale (14), third place 1:58.45); the girls 13-14 200 freestyle relay team of Chloe Marti (13), Nora Thiems (14), Abbi Imming (13) and Tess Korte (14) third place (2:13.04); the boys 9-10 100 freestyle relay team of Ryan Tolbert (10), Finn Stever (10), Ethan Henke (10) and Masyn Smith (10), third place (1:15.56); and the girls 12 and under 100 medley relay team of Olivia Conrad (12, backstroke), Macy Smith (12, breaststroke), Ella Drysdale (10, butterfly) and Jackie Barkus (10, freestyle), fourth place (1:13.84).

Other top 10 finishers for the Splash were: Alyssa Freimann, sixth in the girls 15-18 100 individual medley (1:18.47); Tess Korte, sixth in the girls 13-14 100 freestyle (1:09.64) and sixth in the girls 13-14 100 individual medley (1:18.95); Ethan Drysdale, sixth in the boys 13-14 50 butterfly (33.06); Javier DeLaCruz, sixth in the boys 11-12 50 butterfly (40.52); Madeleine Schmidt, sixth in the girls 11-12 100 individual medley (1:21.27); John Nyquist, sixth in the boys 11-12 50 freestyle (35.21); Olivia Conrad, sixth in the girls 11-12 50 freestyle (32.22) and sixth in the girls 11-12 50 backstroke (37.52); Gabe Smith, sixth in the boys 11-12 50 breaststroke (46.84); Macy Smith, sixth in the girls 11-12 50 breaststroke (42.80); Abby Chalfant, sixth in the girls 9-10 25 breaststroke (22.37); Anna Henke, sixth in the girls 10 and under 100 individual medley (1:36.54); Emily Geisen, sixth in the girls 8 and under 25 freestyle (20.04); Dalton Balint, sixth in the boys 8 and under 25 butterfly (24.81); Natalie Chalfant, sixth in the girls 8 and under 25 backstroke (24.82); Caroline Johnson, sixth in the girls 9-10 25 backstroke (21.31); Ella Drysdale, sixth in the girls 9-10 25 butterfly (18.82); Gavin Kohlbrecher, seventh in the boys 15-18 100 breaststroke (1:23.46) and seventh in the boys 15-18 100 individual medley (1:12.81); Nora Thiems, seventh in the girls 13-14 100 freestyle (1:10.68) and eighth in the girls 13-14 100 individual medley (1:20.20); Ben Walter, seventh in the boys 13-14 100 individual medley (1:11.44); Cam Runge, seventh in the boys 11-12 100 individual medley (1:29.25) and eighth in the boys 11-12 50 butterfly (42.23); Olivia Conrad, seventh in the girls 11-12 50 individual medley (1:21.38); Abby Wells, seventh in the girls 11-12 50 butterfly (37.52); KJ Freimann, seventh in the girls 11-12 50 breaststroke (44.85); Baylie Wells, seventh in the girls 9-10 25 breaststroke (22.40); Jackie Barkus, seventh in the girls 9-10 25 freestyle (16.76); Maggie Heinrich, eighth in the girls 15-18 100 backstroke (1:17.03); Chloe Marti, eighth in the girls 13-14 100 breaststroke (1:34.38); Bella Roberts, eighth in the girls 13-14 100 backstroke (1:20.57); Ally Janson, eighth in the girls 11-12 50 backstroke (38.88), ninth in the girls 11-12 50 freestyle (32.58) and ninth in the girls 11-12 50 butterfly (38.11); KJ Freimann, eighth in the girls 11-12 50 freestyle (32.43); Patrick McGinley, eighth in the boys 11-12 50 freestyle (35.99); Caroline Johnson, eighth in the girls 9-10 25 breaststroke (22.71) and eighth in the girls 9-10 100 individual medley (1:39.18); Ryan Tolbert, eighth in the boys 9-10 25 freestyle (16.75); Ellie Sitton, eighth in the girls 9-10 25 butterfly (19.19); Ethan Henke, eighth in the boys 9-10 25 butterfly (21.63); Jordan Mercer, ninth in the girls 13-14 100 breaststroke (1:35.13); Macy Smith, ninth in the girls 11-12 100 individual medley (1:24.03); Gabe Smith, ninth in the boys 11-12 50 freestyle (36.10); Rylee Sitton, ninth in the girls 11-12 50 breaststroke (45.31); Anna Henke, ninth in the girls 9-10 25 freestyle (16.98); Ethan Walter, ninth in the boys 8 and under 25 backstroke (28.26); Finn Stever, ninth in the boys 9-10 25 backstroke (23.94); Katelyn Redman, eighth in the girls 8 and under 25 butterfly (27.49); Madi Walter, 10^th in the girls 15-18 100 breaststroke (1:30.92); Ethan Drysdale, 10^th in the boys 13-14 100 freestyle (1:07.86); Andrew Thomae, 10^th in the boys 13-14 100 breaststroke (1:31.00); Audrey Habing, 10^th in the girls 13-14 100 breaststroke (1:37.39); Jordan Mercer, 10^th in the girls 13-14 100 backstroke (1:23.83); Ethan Schmidt, 10^th in the boys 10 and under 100 individual medley (1:51.81); Thomas Miller, 10^th in the boys 9-10 25 butterfly (22.64); and Ethan Walter, 10^th in the boys 8 and under 25 freestyle (20.50).

Other Splash swimmers scoring after placing 11^th through 16^th were: Chloe Marti, 11^th in the girls 13-14 100 individual medley (1:23.91) and 11th in the girls 13-14 100 backstroke (1:23.99); Maggie Heinrich, 11^th in the girls 15-18 50 butterfly (36.10); Collin Kirksey, 11^th in the boys 13-14 50 butterfly (36.61); Abbi Imming, 13^th in the girls 13-14 50 butterfly (36.61); Rylee Sitton, 11^th in the girls 11-12 50 backstroke (40.00); Ethan Henke, 11^th in the boys 9-10 25 freestyle (17.61); Ellie Sitton, 11^th in the girls 9-10 100 individual medley (1:41.68); Thomas Miller, 11^th in the boys 10 and under 100 individual medley (1:55.53); Sophia Nonn, 11th in the girls 9-10 25 backstroke (22.34) and 11^th in the girls 9-10 25 butterfly (20.78); Emily Geisen, 11^th in the girls 8 and under 25 backstroke (26.74); Skyle Holthaus, 11^th in the girls 8 and under 25 breaststroke (32.40); Natalie Chalfant, 11^th in the girls 8 and under 25 freestyle (21.66); Darby Stever, 11th in the girls 8 and under 25 butterfly (28.18); Maggie Heinrich, 12^th in the girls 15-18 100 freestyle (1:11.90); Madi Walter, 12^th in the girls 15-18 100 backstroke (1:22.24) and 14^th in the girls 15-18 100 individual medley (1:23.02); ; Abbi Imming, 12^th in the girls 13-14 100 freestyle (1:13.15) and 16th in the girls 15-18 100 backstroke (1:30.44); Ryan Schlechte, 12^th in the boys 9-10 25 backstroke (25.33); Kallie Hubbard, 12^th in the girls 8 and under 25 breaststroke (32.44); KJ Freimann, 12^th in the girls 11-12 50 butterfly (38.56); Bella LaPorta, 13^th in the girls 15-18 100 breaststroke (1:36.53); Francis Hemann, 13^th in the girls 13-14 100 freestyle (1:13.20) and girls 13-14 100 backstroke (1:25.16); Bella Roberts, 13^th in the girls 13-14 100 individual medley (1:25.51); Patrick McGinley, 13th in the boys 11-12 50 backstroke (45.29); Addie Embry, 13^th in the girls 8 and under 25 backstroke (27.13); Kyler Koerkenmeier, 13^th in the girls 8 and under 25 backstroke (29.57); Elise Thompson, 13th in the girls 8 and under 25 butterfly (29.86); Andrew Thomae, 13^th in the boys 13-14 100 backstroke (1:24.07) and 14^th in the boys 13-14 100 freestyle (1:10.99); Addison Rinderer, 14^th in the girls 15-18 100 backstroke (1:28.10), 15^th in the girls 15-18 50 butterfly (37.45) and 16^th in the girls 15-18 100 freestyle (1:13.56); Katelyn Redman, 14^th in the girls 8 and under 25 freestyle (22.13); Ethan Henke, 14^th in the boys 9-10 25 breaststroke (25.29); Drew Tolbert, 15^th in the boys 15-18 100 backstroke (1:43.69); Tom Nyquist, 15^th in the boys 13-14 100 backstroke (1:25.37); Ryan Schlechte, 15^th in the boys 9-10 25 breaststroke (25.42); Ethan Schmidt, 15^th in the boys 9-10 25 backstroke (25.64); Addie Embry, 15^th in the girls 8 and under 25 breaststroke (33.02); Ethan Walter, 16^th in the boys 8 and under 25 butterfly (32.16); and Finn Stever, 16^th in the boys 9-10 25 freestyle (19.09).

This story was originally published July 25, 2016 at 5:04 PM with the headline "Highland Splash repeat as conference champions."