Louisburg senior Cooper Hipp swims the freestyle during a meet earlier this season. Hipp, along with seniors Cole Brown, Drake Burdine, Drake Baus and Remington Rice, were honored on Senior Night on Wednesday in Osawatomie.

OSAWATOMIE — In the first time in almost a month, the Osawatomie-Paola-Louisburg boys swim team was back in action as it had a chance to host a five-team meet. 

At the same time, the Miami County team also had a chance to honor its five seniors — Cooper Hipp, Drake Burdine, Cole Brown, Drake Baus and Remington Rice — for Senior Night.

It turned out to be a memorable night all-around as OZ-PAO-LOU won the meet with 297 points, while Topeka-Hayden was second with 245. Fort Scott, Independence and Coffeyville also competed.

The team racked up seven victories and had several top three finishes in the first process.

Brown won two of those events as he took the 100-yard freestyle in a season-best time of 56.38 seconds. He also had a season-best time in the 200 individual medley as Brown took first in 2:24.45.

Sam Johnson also had a strong performance as he won the 50 freestyle in 24.74 seconds, and the 100-yard butterfly in a personal best of 59.9 seconds.

Junior Braden Branine took the 100 breaststroke in a season-best 1:14.52, while Luke Hebert was first in the 500 freestyle in 6:11 as he knocked nearly 30 seconds off his personal best.

Colton Prettyman, Hipp, Brown and Johnson won the 200 freestyle relay in 1:44.16.

Brayton Brueggen, Branine, Jace Retinger and Hebert took second in the 200 medley relay in 1:59, while Johnson, Brown, Reitinger and Hebert were second in the 400 freestyle relay in 4:01.

Brueggen also went on to finish second in the 200 freestyle as he had a personal-best time of 2:13.88. Brueggen also took second in the 100 backstroke with a season-best 1:05.79.

Hipp finished third in the 50 freestyle in 25.64 and third the 100 freestyle in 1:00. Prettyman later took third in the 100 breaststroke in 1:20.

OZ-PAO-LOU is back in action at noon Saturday for a meet at Blue Valley Southwest.

Louisburg senior Cole Brown swims the breaststroke during last Monday’s home meet in Osawatomie. The Miami County finished first out of six teams.

OSAWATOMIE — It was certainly a successful home opener for the Osawatomie-Paola-Louisburg boys swim team last Monday in Osawatomie.

The Miami County team finished first in the team standings with 278 points, out of six teams. Topeka-Hayden was second with 205.

In all, the OZ-PAO-LOU team won five events and captured several top five finishes.

“It was extremely satisfying to win at home and put forth a solid team effort,” coach Mary Argeropoulos said.

They started on a strong note with a win in the 200-yard medley relay. Brayton Brueggen, Braden Branine, Remington Rice and Cooper Hipp took first going away in 1 minute and 59.53 seconds.

Brueggen later went on to win the 200 freestyle in 2:14 and Luke Hebert was second. Cole Brown followed it up with a victory in the 200 individual medley in 2:26.

Rice finished runner-up in the 50 freestyle in 25.46, while Hipp and Sam Johnson were fourth and fifth, respectively. 

Johnson went on to win the 100 butterfly in 1:03, Rice was second at 1:08 and Drake Burdine was fourth. Burdine also took second in the 100 backstroke in 1:22.

Brown and Hipp finished second and third, respectively, in the 100 freestyle and Drake Baus took fifth. Branine later took third in the 100 breaststroke in 1:14.

In the relays, Johnson, Burdine, Hebert and Rice won the 400 freestyle in 4:03, while the team of Hipp, Brueggen, Hebert and Johnson took second in the 200 freestyle in 1:44. Baus, Colton Prettyman, Evan Retinger and Brown were third in the 200 freestyle.

It has been a successful year so far for the Miami County team as they have three of the top times in the state according to the Kansas State High School Activities Association.

The 400 freestyle relay has the 14th best time in the state, while 200 freestyle relay and 200 medley really are currently 20th in Class 5-1A.

OZ-PAO-LOU are coming off a pair of outings where it had success on the road. 

On Dec. 8, the team traveled to Topeka for the Hayden Invitational and left with a third place team finish with 274 points. Washburn Rural won with 468 and Piper was second with 350.

The 200 freestyle relay highlighted the meet with a second place finish as the team of Rice, Hebert, Hipp and Johnson recorded a time of 1:43.

Brueggen took fourth in the 500-yard freestyle and fifth in the 100 backstroke. Brueggen also helped the 200 medley relay of Brown, Rice and Johnson to a fourth place finish.

Brown also took fifth in the 200 individual medley and helped Baus, Hipp and Brueggen to a fourth place finish in the 400 freestyle relay.

The team is back in action at home on Jan. 19 for its first action in 2022.

LANSING — The Osawatomie-Paola-Louisburg boys swim team kicked off its season Saturday for the Lansing Relays.

It certainly had a good start to its season.

The Miami County team finished fifth with 84 points in a meet which were dominated by 6A and 5A schools. Lansing won the meet with 154 points and Manhattan was second with 127.

The team had a pair of relays earn state consideration times in just its first time out.

“We did have a great first outing on Saturday at the Lansing Relays with great showings from all of our freshman swimmers and PR times in almost every event from our returning swimmers,” coach Mary Argeropoulos said. “This is very exciting for our first meet of the year.”

Drake Baus, Braden Branine, Sam Johnson and Remington Rice swam a time of 1 minute and 56.7 seconds in the 200 medley relay to earn the first state consideration time.

Rice, Luke Hebert, Cooper Hipp and Johnson went on to take seventh in the 200 freestyle relay in 1:41.95 for their second state consideration time.

Osawatomie-Paola-Louisburg also had a pair of top four finishes.

Rice, Hebert, Brayton Brueggen, Johnson took fourth in the 400 freestyle relay. Brueggen, Baus, Hebert and Hipp also took fourth in the 500 Descendo Relay in 5:17.

Johnson, Colton Prettyman, Hipp and Brueggen also took fifth in the 400 individual medley relay.

Louisburg is back in action today in Topeka.

The Miami County girls swim team poses for a picture following their second place finish at the Independent League Championship last Thursday in Osawatomie. Sophomore Claire Brown will represent Louisburg at the Class 5-1A state meet Saturday in Topeka.

OSAWATOMIE — It was memorable season for the Miami County girls swim team, especially on the Louisburg side of it all.

Louisburg, which joined the Osawatomie-Paola team this season, ended its year with a runner-up finish in the Independent League Championship last Thursday in Osawatomie.

The team finished with 206 points to take second place, while Piper won the league title with 264 points.

Although the season is over for most of the swimmers, there is still one Louisburg athlete going strong.

Sophomore Claire Brown qualified for the Class 5-1A state meet and will compete two events Saturday at Hummer Sports Park in Topeka.

Brown becomes the first swimmer in Louisburg history to swim at a state competition and she is looking forward to the challenge.

“Going into season I had a ton of confidence in myself, which help the mindset of working toward that goal,” Brown said. “It is crazy that I am the first girl to qualify for Louisburg swim, and I’m very lucky to have such great support.”

Brown will swim in both the 200-yard individual medley and 100-yard freestyle Saturday. As for how it ends up, she just wants to better herself.

“I’m just hoping to go into state to improve on my personal times, and compete,” Brown said. “Overall I thought for the first year as a small team we did very well. A lot of the girls already had prior experience which helped, and hopefully our team continues to grow. I am very excited to have the opportunity to compete at state as a sophomore. I’ve worked hard and it is paying off.”

Brown provided some memorable moments last last week’s meet, with the help of many of her teammates.

She teamed up with senior Sydney Keaton, sophomore Abby Bradley and freshman Ashley Branine to win the 200-yard freestyle relay in a season-best time of 1 minute and 55 seconds.

Brown also went on to finish second in the 100 freestyle with a personal best time of 59.45 seconds. She also took runner-up in the 200 freestyle with a personal best time of 2:13.

The relay team of Keaton, Bradley, Brown and Branine also took third in the 200 medley relay (2:17). Dana Mattison, Libby Barnett, Addie Stuebner and Brianna Shippy finished fourth in the 400 freestyle relay (4:58)

Mattison also went on to take fourth in the 200 freestyle (2:36) and 500 freestyle (7:08).

Other swimmers with top five finishes was Branine as she took fifth in the 50 freestyle (29.15) and 100 freestyle (1:05). Stuebner took fourth in the 100 backstroke (1:16).

The team also had to say goodbye to seniors Sydney Keaton and Libby Barnett as they competed in their final meet.

“Everyone at the meet raced their hardest and we came out as second, which was great for our first year,” Brown said. “It was a great feeling to win the 200 free relay, as it was our last time as a Louisburg group together.”

Louisburg sophomore Claire Brown earned a state qualifying time in the 200-yard individual medley Wednesday during the team’s meet in Topeka. Brown also has a state consideration time in the 100 freestyle.

TOPEKA — Claire Brown has watched as her times have slowly, but surely been coming down throughout the girls swim season.

Now, those times are among some of the best in the state.

Brown, who is a sophomore at Louisburg High School, and a member of the Osawatomie-Paola-Louisburg girls swim team, earned a berth at the Class 5-1A state meet during last week’s meet in Topeka.

Brown qualified for state in the 200-yard individual medley at the Topeka West Invitational on Wednesday at Hummer Sports Complex. She finished third in the event with a time of 2 minutes and 31 seconds.

“Claire is just a natural athlete,” coach Ardy Dehdasht said. “She swims so effortlessly. It’s quite the accomplishment to be a state qualifier as a sophomore, so that’s something she should be very proud of.”

She could very well qualify for state in another event. Brown currently has a state consideration time in the 100-yard freestyle and took fourth last week with a season-best time of 1:00.60.

The Miami County team finished eighth out of 12 teams during Wednesday’s meet with 103.5 points. Washburn Rural won with 430 points and Topeka Seaman was second with 299.

They also had a couple other top 10 finishes in the meet.

The 200 medley relay team of Sydney Keaton, Abby Bradley, Brown and Ashley Branine was seventh overall with a season-best time of 2:19.

Addie Stuebner was ninth in the 100 backstroke in 1:19, while Brown, Keaton, Bradley and Branine were 10th in the 400 freestyle relay in 4:41.

Sophomore Claire Brown swims the breaststroke during a meet earlier in the season. The Louisburg swimmer won two events at Turner and helped relays to top five finishes.

Last week, the Osawatomie-Paola-Louisburg girls swim team spent a lot of time in the water as it had back-to-back days of competitions.

It started last Tuesday at Turner and ended Wednesday at the Topeka-Hayden Invitational.

The Miami County team finished fifth out of six teams with 270 points at the Hayden meet, which was held at Hummer Sports Complex. Manhattan won with 537 and Hayden was second at 473.5.

Sydney Keaton, Abby Bradley, Claire Brown and Ashley Branine provided one of the best finishes of the day. The 200-yard medley relay team finished second with a season-best time of 2:17.

Brown also had a big day in a pair of other events as she was second in the 500 freestyle in 6:19 and took third in the 200 freestyle in 2:17.

Keaton went on to take fourth in the 50 freestyle in 29.71, while Addie Stuebner was fifth at 29.93.

Branine, Bradley, Brown and Keaton ended the meet strong in the 400 freestyle relay as they finished fourth in a season-best 4:30.14.

The Miami County team also competed in a six-team event at Turner and took fourth with 266 points. Lansing won the meet with 595 and De Soto was second at 436.

Brown had another big day in the water as she won the 200-yard individual medley with a time of 2 minutes and 32 seconds and also captured 100 freestyle crown in 1:01.

Brown also joined Branine, Bradley and Keaton to take third in the 200 freestyle really in 1:58, and earlier finished fourth in the 200 medley relay in 2:18.

Stuebner (1:18) and Keaton (1:19) took fourth and fifth, respectively, in the 100 backstroke to round out the team’s top five finishers.

Sophomore Claire Brown swims the butterfly stroke of the 200-yard individual medley during the team’s home opener on Mar. 31 in Osawatomie.

The Osawatomie-Paola-Louisburg girls swim team has already faced some difficult competition through its first two meets to start the season and it was no more evident than its last event in Topeka.

The Miami County team traveled to the Topeka High Invitational at Hummer Sports Complex and squared off against teams from Washburn Rural, Shawnee Heights, Seaman, Hayden, Hays and Junction City.

In all, the girls more than held their own as they finished fifth overall during the April 8 meet with 247 points. Washburn Rural won with 485.

Sophomore Claire Brown had a strong day as she finished runner-up in the 100-yard butterfly in a time of 1 minute and 12 seconds. Brown also finished third in the 200-yard freestyle in 2:18.

Brown also teamed up with Sydney Keaton, Abby Bradley and Ashley Branine to take runner-up in the 200-yard freestyle relay in 1:59.

Branine also went on to record a fifth-place finish in the 50 freestyle in 29.86. Keaton finished fifth in the 100 freestyle in 1:09.

Dana Mattison rounded out the top placers as she took fourth in the 500 freestyle in 7:15.

Osawatomie-Paola-Louisburg opened its season at home in a quadrangular against Hayden, Piper and Fort Scott on Mar. 31.

The Miami County girls went on to finish third with 234 points. Hayden won with 295 and Piper was second with 262.

The 200 medley relay team of Branine, Keaton, Brown and Bradley won to open the meet in a time of 2:16.

Keaton followed that up with a victory in the 100 freestyle in 1:08 and later finished fourth in the 100 breaststroke in 1:29.

Brown took third in the 200 individual medley in 2:38. Bradley (30.95) and Addie Stuebner (31.26) went on to take fourth and fifth, respectively, in the 50 freestyle.

Mattison was runner-up in the 500 freestyle with a time of 7:33. Bradley, Mattison, Stuebner and Libby Barnett went on to take fourth in the 200 freestyle relay in 2:07 and Stuebner (1:18) did the same in the 100 backstroke.

Branine took fourth in the 200 freestyle in 2:40 and Mattison was right behind her in fifth.

Brown, Keaton, Branine and Mattison ended the meet with a third place finish in the 400 freestyle relay in 4:36.

Senior Bridger Baus swims the 100 breaststroke during the Feb. 10 Independent League Championship in Osawatomie. Baus took second in event and later won the 100 backstroke.

OSAWATOMIE — For the last four years, the Osawatomie-Paola-Louisburg boys swim team has been able to celebrate at the end of the season and 2021 was no different.

The Miami County team finished first in the Independent League Championship for the fifth year in a row on Feb. 10 as it recorded 318 points and edged Piper by 22 points.

“I am very proud of every swimmer,” coach Ardy Dehdasht said. “They swam and trained their hearts out this season. We overcame some obstacles and challenges this season, but overall every swimmer had  a personal record in multiple events, which makes me proud. We have big goals of state qualifying times for the next season.”

Individually, the Miami County team won five individual events and the lone senior, Bridger Baus, was a part of three of them.

Baus won the league title in the 100-yard backstroke by 14 seconds in a time of 1 minute, 3.81 seconds. He also finished third in the 100 butterfly in 1:04.

Braden Branine, Brayton Brueggen and Sam Johnson joined Baus in the 200-yard medley relay and won going away in 1:56.

Brueggen, Cole Brown, Cooper Hipp and Baus also captured the 400-yard freestyle relay title in 3:54, just two seconds ahead of runner-up Piper.

Brueggen, a Louisburg sophomore, also had a big day. Along with the two relays, he won the 500-yard freestyle in 5:58 and took runner-up in the 200 freestyle in 2:09.

The Miami County team also captured the 200 freestyle relay title as Branine, Hipp, Brown and Drake Baus edged Piper by less than a second in 1:42.

“The swimmers deserve all the credit,” Dehdasht said. “They come to practice everyday, swim and train hard and they saw the results. I have always said swimming is a thankless sport as you can train for weeks and sacrifice so much and you are lucky and having a good day you will drop a fraction of a second. They certainly made me very proud.”

Several other swimmers also did well as Brown placed second in the 200 individual medley and Branine took third.

Johnson finished second and third in the 100 and 50 freestyle, respectively. Hipp also placed third in the 100.

Branine placed second in the 100 breaststroke, while Drake Baus was second in the 500 freestyle and third in the 200 freestyle. Drake Burdine placed third in the 100 backstroke, while Luke Hebert was third in the 500 freestyle.

Although Osawatomie-Paola-Louisburg did not qualify anyone for the state meet this season, the boys are already gearing up for next season.

“The boys made it as an alternate in a relay but unfortunately did not get to swim,” Dehdasht said. “Our goal is to have all relays and multiple individuals qualify for state next year.”

Louisburg’s Remington Rice swims the 50-yard freestyle during a meet earlier this season. Rice finished second in both freestyle races last week in Bonner Springs.

BONNER SPRINGS — In the two team meet on Feb. 2 at Bonner Springs, the Osawatomie-Paola-Louisburg boys swim team found a lot of success.

The Miami County team won 10 of the 11 events and edged Bonner Springs for a 409-372 victory as the boys continued to put up strong times.

Sam Johnson had a big day as he won two individual events and was a member of two first place relay teams.

Johnson won the 50-yard freestyle in 24.66 seconds and also capture the 100 freestyle in 55.53.

Johnson, along with Bridger Baus, Cole Brown and Remington Rice, won the 200 freestyle relay in 1 minute and 42 seconds. Johnson, Brown, Luke Hebert and Cooper Hipp ended the meet with a win in the 400 freestyle relay in 3:54.

The team completed the sweep in the relays as Baus, Braden Branine, Rice and Hipp took first in the 200 medley relay in 1:54.

Baus also won a pair of events as he took first in the 100 butterfly in 1:04.46 and later edged teammate Brayton Brueggen in the 100 backstroke in 1:05.24. Brueggen was second in 1:05.52.

Earlier in the meet, Brueggen won the 200 freestyle in 2:10 and Hebert was first in the 500 freestyle in 6:26.

Brown won the 200-yard individual medley in 2:30, while Branine was second about two seconds behind. Branine was also runner-up in the 100 breaststroke in 1:13.

Rice was second in the 50 and 100 freestyle to round out the top finishers for Osawatomie-Paola-Louisburg.

Louisburg is back in action tomorrow when it hosts a meet at the OZone in Osawatomie. It is set to begin at 4 p.m.

Louisburg’s Cole Brown swims the breaststroke during a meet earlier this season. Brown was a part of two relays that took second and third, respectively.

OVERLAND PARK — The Osawatomie-Paola-Louisburg boys swim team experienced success against some bigger programs last Tuesday.

The co-op team finished second at the Blue Valley Northwest quad as they tallied 169 points and defeated Shawnee Mission East (149 points) and De Soto (75). Blue Valley Northwest won going away with 407 points.

The Miami County team finished second in three events, including a pair of relays.

Bridger Baus, Braden Branine, Remington Rice and Cooper Hipp took second in the 200-yard medley relay in 1 minute and 57 seconds.

Rice, Sam Johnson, Baus and Cole Brown teamed up to finish second in the 400-yard freestyle relay in 3:56. 

Individually, Rice also took runner-up in the 100 butterfly in 1:05.35 and was also fourth in the 50 freestyle in 24.91 seconds.

Sophomore Brayton Brueggen finished runner-up in the 500-yard freestyle in 6:01.55 and Bridger Baus was third in the 100 backstroke in 1:05.82.

Brown, Luke Hebert, Hipp and Sam Johnson went on to take third in the 200 freestyle relay in 1:48.83.

Louisburg is back in action Tuesday when it travels to Bonner Springs for a meet, which is set to start at 4:30 p.m.