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Cape Central boys swimming one of three area teams to qualify for state as Tigers aim for third straight state title
When Dayna Powell looks at this year's boys swimming and diving state championship meet, she's reminded not of last year's title-winning Cape Central team, but of her squad two years ago.
Back then, the state championship included every team in the state, regardless of size, and with Cape Central on the smaller end of the spectrum the Tigers had to be strategic to capture their first-ever state title.
This time around, the state is split up into two classifications, but with eight seniors gone from last year's team, the Tigers know they need a complete team performance to capture a third consecutive state crown.
So Central enters the two-day Class 1 state championships, which begin Friday afternoon in St. Peters, Missouri, with an eye on how to get the most out of all 11 swimmers in order to capture a third consecutive state crown.
"We have a couple plans in action. The way the rules are we can enter eight people in a relay and then decide what we're going to do on that," Powell said. "So we're trying to maximize our options as we go in.
"Last year, we had pretty much, I think, the biggest powerhouse state wide, especially at a meet at the state level where there's a lot of teams. This year, we're still really solid with all the teams, but we're much smaller. We have to just plan a little better, spend a little bit more time on it, like we did two years ago."
Central is one of three area schools that will have swimmers at the Class 1 state meet. Notre Dame is bringing nine competitors, and Jackson is sending eight.
The Tigers likely have the best shot at a state title, though, with four returning All-State swimmers from last year. That core foursome -- juniors Jacob Bening, Truman Vines, Daniel Seabaugh and senior Hyrum Dickson -- were part of Central's last two championship teams.
They know what to expect.
"We can share how state is kind of a different kind of meet," said Dickson, the team's sole senior. "You don't ever get anything like state outside of state. It's a whole different level of competition. I think some of that energy and mentality we can really share with the rest of the teammates."
While numerous other Tigers haven't competed at state, earlier this season they faced off against some of the other Class 1 contenders, such as Parkway Central, Parkway South and Glendale.
Glendale was third in Class 1 last year and finished ahead of Central at the Springfield Invitational last month. In September, Parkway South won the Cape Rock Invitational, and Parkway Central was second, ahead of Central.
"I'm so thankful our administration allows us to travel and see the best teams in the state because when these boys get to state I don't want them to say, 'Hey, who's that guy? What's that name?'" Powell said. "All the teams will be ready to swim, but Glendale and Parkway Central are two I really expect to come alive."
Just like last year, Central knows it has a target on its back. Last week it won its fifth straight SEMO Conference championship and enters as two-time state champions, having won last year's title by more than 50 points.
"We got it in the back of our mind, like we're the champs," Vines said. "Everybody is coming for us. We just got to go out there and execute."
Regardless of the result, this state experience will prove invaluable for Central going forward with 10 of the 11 state qualifiers returning, including all three divers.
"We're thankful to have Hyrum, senior year, and I think he's really poised to have a great meet, but it's exciting to think, 'Wow. We're only losing Hyrum,'" Powell said. "So the experience these guys get at that meet in a high school setting will be great because some of the guys going this year weren't there swimming last year."
Next season is a long ways away, though. For now, the Tigers are focused on having fun. Everything else will take care of itself.
"Making memories is what I'm about," Bening said. "When I look back on everything when I'm older, it's just making memories."
Notre Dame
For the Bulldogs, runners up at last week's SEMO Conference meet, getting to state isn't the end goal. They want to advance out of the preliminaries race and compete on Day 2.
"We go to state with the mentality that it's a two-day event," Notre Dame coach Dan Rau said. "We're happy that we're there, but we don't want to come home after the first day. Our goal is to stay there for two days."
Last year, their 200-medley relay did just that, finishing 15th.
Those nine state qualifiers -- three relay teams and three individual qualifiers that will be competing in the maximum of two events -- is the most the Bulldogs have had in about a decade, according to Rau.
"It is a signifanct step forward for the program in the last five years," he said.
Now, Notre Dame hopes to put its best foot forward at the state championship.
"The mantra I've been giving these boys and selling them on the last couple years is everyone swims faster at the end of the season," Rau said. "I don't care if you're a gifted and talented swimmer who's just a year-round swimmer, or if you're just a swimmer who's just starting out. Everyone swims faster at the end of the season. They have to be mentally and physically prepared to swim faster at the end of the season."
Jackson
The Indians are bringing two relay teams to the state championship and have several individual qualifiers after finishing third at the conference meet.
Senior Brandon Pemberton is competing in the maximum number of events, two relays and two individual swims.