Miami County boys swim team wins third straight league title

***Louisburg senior Colton Prettyman walks through a tunnel during Senior Night ceremonies Friday in Osawatomie. (Submitted Photo)***

OSAWATOMIE — The Osawatomie-Paola-Louisburg-Spring Hill boys swim team has already had a memorable 2024-25 season with several state qualifications and meet victories.

The Miami County team added to its list of accomplishments Friday as it hosted the Independent League meet. The team took care of business as it earned its third consecutive league championship.

In the 6-team meet, Osawatomie-Paola-Louisburg-Spring Hill cruised to the title with 482 points. Independence was second with 353 points and Fort Scott was third with 319.

It also served as Senior Night for the Miami County team as it honored its four seniors — Louisburg’s Colton Prettyman and Nathaniel Phillis and Osawatomie’s Eric Zhang and Spring Hill’s Hayden Thomason.

On the Louisburg side, the Wildcats earned six individual league championships thanks to Prettyman, Colin Brown and Andrew Jamison.

The Miami County boys swim team recognized senior swimmers prior to the start of the league championship meet at Osawatomie on Friday, Feb. 14. Seniors pictured are (from left) Eric Zhang, Colton Prettyman, Hayden Thomason and Nathaniel Phillis. (Submitted photo)

Prettyman won the 50-yard freestyle in 23.48 seconds and later took first the 500 freestyle in 5 minutes and 24.85 seconds.

As for Brown, he won the league title in the 100 butterfly in 54.44 seconds and finished first in the 100 backstroke in 56.35 seconds.

Jamison also won a pair of league crowns. His first came in the 200 individual medley where he won in a season-best time of 2:05.87. Jamison later took the gold in the 100 breaststroke in 1:04.66.

Louisburg sophomore Brock Delmez earned a pair of runner-up finishes in the 200 individual medley and 500 freestyle. Sophomore Noah Sharp medaled third in the 100 freestyle and third in the 100 backstroke.

Wildcat freshman Bennett Mendez medaled second in the 200 freestyle and fifth in the 100 butterfly.

In the relays, the Wildcats were a part of winning league titles in all three races.

Brown, Jamison, Thomason and Paola’s Landen Terflinger won the 200 medley relay going away in 1:48.31. Jamison, Prettyman, Terflinger and Spring Hill’s Tag Solberg took first in the 200 freestyle relay in 1:38.14.

Prettyman, Delmez, Sharp and Brown ended the meet with a victory in the 400 freestyle relay in 4:01.

Brown, Jamison, Prettyman and Sharp will now prepare for the postseason as they will compete in the Class 5-1A Kansas State Swim and Diving Championships starting Friday in Lenexa.

All four swimmers will compete in multiple individual events, along with two relays. Events begin at 4 p.m. and the meet will continue into Saturday.