Toward the end of his 200-yard freestyle race Thursday in the Emporia High Swimming and Diving Invitational, Emporia senior Aaron Clark’s right arm cramped up, then his left leg cramped, and then the shoulder that he dislocated four days before the meet began to hurt.
Then he touched the wall, and all he had to show for it was a second-place finish in a State-qualifying time of 1 minute, 54.55 second, which, oh yeah, just happened to be a personal record for him in the event.
Add to it that Clark already had qualified for State in the 100 freestyle and would eventually hit the State-qualifying mark for the 50 freestyle as well, and it all added up to one memorable season-opening performance.
One can only imagine what’s in store for him once his body cooperates.
“I don’t quite have the endurance I want yet, but we haven’t even begun our hard practices, so that will come with time,” Clark said. “I went faster than I thought I would, but toward the end of all my races, though, I could feel out of gas.”
Clark paced the Emporia High boys swimming and diving team on the day, leading the Spartans to a third-place finish as a team with 360 points, behind Olathe East (525) and Washburn Rural (417).
“I thought we swam really well,” EHS coach Bob Yevak said. “We’re not where we want to be conditioning-wise, which you could see in the second half of the races. But we swam hard, and some young kids swam really well.”
Emporia’s lone victory on the day came from the 400 freestyle relay team of Clark, Adam Coburn, Cord Stanley and Sergio Segura.
The Spartans led from start to finish in the race, coming in nearly 4 seconds ahead of a squad from Olathe East in a time of 3 minutes, 43.71 seconds.
Emporia barely missed out on two relay victories, though, as the 200 freestyle relay team of Clark, Stanley, Scott Peterson and Segura finished with the top time in the event at 1:38.68, but it was ruled that Peterson left early on the transition from Stanley, and the EHS quartet was disqualified.
“It’s an easy thing to have happen,” Clark said. “You have to be so precise. You can’t blame anyone, though, because we’re all trying to go our fastest.”
Despite the disqualification, Clark’s 50-yard split time was under the State-qualification time of 23.5 seconds, giving him his third State time of the day.
“Aaron had quite the day,” Yevak said.
Making an impressive return to the pool was Segura, who competed for the first time since his sophomore year after sitting out last season.
Segura placed second in the 50 freestyle in a time of 24 seconds — barely missing out on State qualification — and also finished third in the 100 free in a time of 54.34 seconds.
“I took last season off, and I shouldn’t have done that,” Segura said. “Endurance-wise, I think I can pick that up. It’s my senior year — I have to give it my all.”
Coburn fared well in two individual swims, coming in fourth in his specialty event — the 500 freestyle — in a time of 5:57 and also placing third in the 200 free (2:07.66).
Derek Krause and Sam Nolan placed fourth and fifth, respectively, in the diving competition. Krause scored a 159.40, while Nolan finished with a 149.45. Olathe East’s David Wagner won the event with a 201.50.
Other notables were: Cody Yevak, seventh in the 100 butterfly (1:06.64), Andrew Wayman, seventh in the 500 free (6:29.37), Dillon Suprian, eighth in the 100 backstroke (1:09.84); and Peterson, ninth in the 200 individual medley (2:38.94). Michael Stauffer, Peterson and Larkin Bennett also fared well in the 100 breaststroke, coming in seventh, 10th and 11th, respectively.
EHS is back in action next Monday and Tuesday when it plays host to another invite. The diving competition will take place at 4 p.m. on Monday, while the swimming events will begin at 4 p.m. on Tuesday.
Emporia High Invitational
Thursday at EHS
Team Scores
1. Olathe East 525, 2. Washburn Rural 417, 3. Emporia 360, 4. Seaman 344, 5. Derby 248.5, 6. Hayden 189, 7. Field Kindley 99.5.
EHS Results
200 Medley Relay
6. Emporia “A” 2:00.70; 15. Emporia B 2:20.95.
200 Freestyle
2. Aaron Clark 1:54.55*; 3. Adam Coburn 2:07.66; 7. Andrew Wayman 2:19.42.
200 IM
9. Scott Peterson, 2:38.94; 12. Michael Stauffer 2:48.39.
50 Freestyle
2. Sergio Segura 24.00; 8. Dillon Suprian 25.95; 9. Cord Stanley 26.29.
Diving
4. Derek Krause 159.40; 5. Sam Nolan 149.45.
100 Butterfly
7. Cody Yevak 1:06.64.
100 Freestyle
2. Clark 50.02*; 3. Segura 54.34; Dustin Loewen 1:03.88.
500 Freestyle
4. Coburn 5:57.00; 7. Wayman 6:29.37; 11. Ryan Schlup 7:04.70.
200 Freestyle Relay
11. Emporia “B” 2:04.25.
100 Backstroke
8. Suprian 1:09.84; 17. Cody Muckenthaler 1:36.22/
100 Breaststroke
7. Stauffer 1:19.77; 10. Peterson 1:22.13; 11. Larkin Bennett 1:22.26.
400 Freestyle relay
1. Emporia “A” 3:43.71; 6. Emporia “B” 4:09.32; 12. Emporia “C” 5.00.40.
*- State qualifying time