BY JASON PEAKE
As the final month of the boys swimming and diving season arrives, the Webb City Cardinals continue to make progress.
The host Cardinals gained more valuable experience at the annual Red Bird Invitational on Saturday at the Buck Miner Swim Center.
Webb City coach Shawn Klosterman noted his squad has been a work in progress for a large part of the fall but continues to make positive strides.
"The season's been kind of weird for us," Klosterman said. "Our numbers are up, but we've had lots of injuries and we've lost some kids. We're hoping to get a couple of guys back for the COC meet. But things are going as well as they can. The kids have been working hard. "The kids are trying new events and being brave about it," Klosterman added. "They're trying to step up in the spots that are hard to fill because they know it will matter to the team."
Glendale won the 11-team meet with 338 points. Ozark was a distant second (154), while Joplin took third (146). Kickapoo (140) was fourth, Camdenton took fifth (132) and the host Cardinals were sixth (126).
In a highlight of the meet for the host, Webb City junior Asa Morgan recorded a state-qualifying score in the 1-meter diving competition (357.9 points).
Teammate Antonio Pearce, a returning state qualifier in the event, took sixth with a score 343.1, while Carson Forcum earned a score of 323.95 to place seventh. Both Pearce and Forcum recorded state-consideration scores.
In all, three divers surpassed the automatic state-qualifying score of 356, as Ozark's Kaden Bowling (406.05) and Glendale's Evan Riley (404.95) finished first and second, respectively.
Webb City's Ethan Shipley touched the wall first in the 200-yard individual medley with a time of 2:27. Shipley was also seventh in the 100 breaststroke, while Judah Ritchie placed sixth in the 200 individual medley and Lucas Lowery was ninth in the 500 free.
Webb City's 400 freestyle relay team of Emiliano Vasquez, Snyper Herron, Shipley and Lathen Forester place fourth.
The Cardinals were seventh in the 200 medley relay, with Herron, Shipley, Vasquez and Forester competing. Webb City's Canon Wiseman, Matthew Mouton, Logan Dean and Racy Storm were ninth in the 200 free relay.
Joplin had two event winners as Alex Crawford won the 100 breaststroke (1:00) and John Glenn took first in the 100 butterfly (1:00).
Crawford was also second in the 200 freestyle in 1:53, with teammate Zane Reavley fourth (2:02). Reavley also took fourth in the 100 backstroke (1:04).
Also for the Eagles, Ben Wardlow finished seventh in the 100 free and was eighth in the 50 free, while Jacob Glenn placed seventh in the 100 backstroke and Zane Newman placed eighth in the 500 free.
Joplin's team of Reavley, Crawford, John Glenn and Wardlow finished second in the 200 medley relay with a state-qualifying time of 1:45. The Eagles were fourth in the 200 free relay, with Jacob Glenn, John Glenn, Colin Vermillion and Kohl Cooper competing.
Nevada's Kalen Morris placed third in the 100 backstroke and teammate Tyler Armstrong was sixth in the 100 breaststroke. The Tigers were fifth in the 200 free relay and sixth in the 200 medley relay.
Lamar's Zander Davis finished second in the 200 IM. Monett's Isaac Lindsey took sixth in the 100 backstroke. The Cubs were fifth in the 400 free relay, with Jared Lynn, Noah Holmes, Ethan Hunter and Andrew Kranz competing.
After hosting a quadrangular on Tuesday, Webb City will also host the Central Ozark Conference championships on Tuesday, Oct. 22. This year's COC meet will be the first on the boys' side that officially recognizes conference champions.
"Right now with this group, the focus is on the COC," Klosterman said. "We want to maximize our lineup to fill every event and gather every point we can get."
Joplin Globe 10/13/2019