Osawatomie-Paola-Louisburg boys swim team off to good start

The inaugural boys swim season got
underway earlier this month as Louisburg joined the Osawatomie-Paola program
this winter and several swimmers are already making an impact.

The Miami County swim team has already
competed in two meets and recently finished fifth out of 10 teams at the
Topeka-Hayden Invitational on Dec. 10.

Osawatomie-Paola-Louisburg had a
pair of relays that led the way. Theo Hebert, Cole Brown, Bridger Baus and
Remington Rice took sixth in 1 minute and 58 seconds in the 200-yard medley
relay, while Hebert, Isaiah Waggerman, Brown and Justin Bradley were sixth in
the 400 freestyle relay in 3:57.

Hebert led the way individually as
he took seventh in the 500 freestyle (5:55) and 100 freestyle (1:02). Baus also
had a seventh place finish in the 100 backstroke (1:08).

Brayton Brueggen was eighth in the
500 freestyle (6:13), while Bradley took ninth in the 200 freestyle (2:08). Brown
had a pair of 10^th place finishes in the 100 breaststroke (1:18) and
200 individual medley (2:29).

On Dec. 7, the swim team opened
its season at Lansing at an all relay meet. They finished sixth overall with 89
points and had a good showing in their first time out according to coach Gerri
Hart.

“The boys did well in their first meet,” Hart said. “We had a lot of improvement from the times trial we had on the fifth day of practice. This is a great meet because it is all relays so it builds team spirit. The boys showed great sportsmanship by being one of the only teams to stay in the water till all the swimmers in the event were done and cheering on their opponents. I am really proud of these boys.”

Osawatomie-Paola-Louisburg
had a runner-up finish in the 200-yard backstroke relay. Theo Hebert, Remington
Rice, Bridger Baus and Brayton Brueggen were second in 2:00.61 to lead the way.

They also had a pair
of fourth place finishes. Justin Bradley, Hebert, Rice and Isaiah Waggerman
swam a 5:04 in the 500 freestyle to take fourth, while Hebert, Brueggen, Baus
and Cole Brown were fourth in the 200 butterfly in 1:59.

Bradley, Rice, Baus
and Waggerman were fifth in the 200 freestyle (1:43), while Justin Bradley, Sam
Bradley, Brueggen and Brown took sixth in the 200 breaststroke (2:32).

Louisburg students
that are on the team this season are Wyatt Axmann, Bridger Baus, Drake Baus,
Sam Bradley, Braden Branine, Cole Brown, Brayton Brueggen, Drake Burdine,
Cooper Hipp and Remington Rice.

The swim team will be
back in action on Jan. 22 for their home opener. The team was originally
scheduled to have its home opener on Dec. 16, but it was postponed and then
eventually cancelled due to weather.