Lueckenhoff returns as first state swimming qualifier in Capital City program historical past

After changing into the primary state qualifier in program historical past, Capital City swimmer Kane Lueckenhoff enters his junior marketing campaign on a mission.

Lueckenhoff will lead the Cavaliers into the season-opening meet right this moment at Hickman.

“With Kane I would expect another huge leap,” Capital City and Jefferson City coach Carrie Koprowski stated. “He is in it to win it, he’s got everything an athlete needs to be successful. He has a really good mindset, he has a lot of natural ability and feel of the water, he’s continued to swim throughout the year and his times continue to drop.”

Lueckenhoff certified for final 12 months’s Class 1 swimming and diving state championships within the 500-yard freestyle race, an occasion he missed qualifying in by one spot as a freshman.

He completed twenty sixth on the state meet, and now his purpose is to qualify in additional occasions this 12 months.

“He knows that it’s in his best interest to not specify and lock into that 500,” Koprowski stated. “His plan for this year is to diversify, and we are going to try and get him qualified in as many events as we can.”

The Cavaliers can have three different swimmers on roster this fall — returning senior Vincent Pierson and freshman newcomers August Bestgen and Henry Gladow.

Pierson has performed an enormous consider getting the newcomers in control.

“Vince has really taken a great leadership role on our team,” Koprowski stated. “He’s so good at seeing the need and great at catching people before they fall. He sees someone get frustrated, and he is immediately encouraging them.”

Bestgen and Gladow each enter with swimming expertise after competing with the Barracudas Swim Team.

“I always love when boys join high school and I’ve coached them with the ’Cudas when they were younger,” Koprowski stated. “I taught August how to dive off the blocks, and it’s just so fun to have him around.”

Pierson will start the season within the 100 butterfly and 100 freestyle, Gladow might begin with 50 and 100 freestyle firstly of the season and Bestgen will begin within the 100 freestyle and 100 breaststroke.

III

The Jefferson City Jays enter the swimming season with six athletes, 4 being returners.

The quantity returning has produced a tight-knit group that is able to compete.

“These four are so strong together, three of them have been swimming together for years,” Koprowski stated. “… This sport is incredibly welcoming. The more bodies in the water, the higher the work ethic, the greater the motivation.”

Returning to the roster for the Jays are senior Kieran Rother, junior Adam Parker and sophomores Kentyn Moore and Jameson Winemiller.

New to the crew this season are senior Rayce Schanuth and sophomore Evan Watson, each being new to the game.

“I told Rayce this is the exact message we want to be sending out to our community, you just have to be willing to try new things, and we have students in our district willing to do that,” Koprowski stated.

To begin the season, Rother will compete within the 50 and 100 freestyle occasions, Parker will swim within the 100 breaststroke, 50 freestyle, and probably 200 particular person medley quickly, Moore will swim the 100 butterfly and 100 freestyle, Winemiller will swim within the 50 freestyle and 100 backstroke and Watson and Schanuth will every begin within the 50 freestyle.

Helping with growth this 12 months is prolonged pool time.

After being restricted to 2 lanes within the apply pool for morning apply occasions, the Jays and Cavaliers now have each lane of the pool at their disposal to apply in 4 days per week.

“They’ve really opened the door this year for us to be able to grow,” Koprowski stated. “… It’s such a game-changer in what we are able to do.”