LENEXA -- If Ariana Dirkzwager had to choose one event that might define her swimming career, she doesn't hesitate picking which one it would be.

"All of my career, I've been a 200 freestyler," the Wichita East senior said.

Which made last year's Class 6A state meet a bit interesting. Instead of swimming her specialty event at state, Dirkzwager opted to go after the freestyle sprint titles, swimming the 50 and 100 freestyles.

"Last year, I chose the 50 and 100 because in high school we work so much on sprinting," she said.

It worked out just fine as Dirkzwager swept the state titles in both events.

Saturday, Dirkzwager returned to her specialty and just like a year ago, it worked out just fine. She captured double gold for the second straight season, winning the 200 freestyle by three seconds and defending her 100 title with a half-second win.

"I was the most nervous for the 200 freestyle -- every time I swim, that's the race I'm most nervous for," Dirkzwager said. "It's my race, so I feel like I have to do well in it."

Dirkzwager had no reason to be nervous this time around. Back in the event that she finished runner-up at state in as a freshman in 2019, she left no doubt about whose race it was. Dirkzwager quickly put distance between herself and top challenger Bradie Ward of Free State and ended up winning by three seconds in 1:50.32.
 

The time was her best by a second and a half in the event, but came up just short of taking out East's school record -- which is held by older sister and multi-time state champion Astrid Dirkzwager.

As part of KSHSAA's Title IX celebration this year, Astrid came back Saturday to be an honorary medal presenter for the meet and her presence made Ariana's day even more special.

"It was very fun, very sentimental," said Ariana, who will join Astrid at Georgia Tech next year. "She's always been my biggest role model. It was just nice having her support.

"I think the expectations were there for me (being her sister), but I learned throughout the years that I need to swim for myself and not to prove anything."

In the 100 freestyle, Dirkzwager posted a time of 51.61 to beat Free State's Samantha Packard by .51 seconds.  

DEEDY EARNS CLASS 6A ATHLETE OF THE MEET AWARD, COMPLETES HIGH SCHOOL CAREER WITH TWO FIRST-PLACE FINISHES

Shawnee Mission East senior Anne Deedy completed her final state championship race the same way she completed her first, with gold around her neck.

As a freshman in 2019, Deedy kicked off her first experience at state as the second leg of the Lancers' 200-yard medley relay team and took first. At the Class 6A state meet on Saturday, Deedy finished her high school swimming career by winning the 100-yard backstroke.

In between her first and last state race, she competed in 10 other events over three state meets. She took gold, silver or bronze in every one of those races.

Her first state-title finish in that 200 medley relay started a storied high school swim career for Deedy, but her long-list of accomplishments over the last two years are more driven by her other races at that first state meet. Deedy finished second in the 100-yard breaststroke and 200-yard individual medley that year before earning third in the 400-yard freestyle relay.

"I got out-touched at the wall and I've always been hungry for more," Deedy said.

Her hunger grew after the COVID-19 pandemic took away her sophomore campaign. By her junior season, she was chomping at the bit to earn that individual first-place finish. She accomplished just that by winning the 100-yard breaststroke.

But she took second in the 200 IM again. With one final crack at it, Deedy broke through this year. She won with a time of 2:03.45, 1.29 seconds ahead of runner-up iHalle McCullough of Free State.

"This year, to be able to get both of them, has been really amazing," Deedy said. "Really, really fun and really rewarding."

A team title was about the only thing that eluded Deedy. Shawnee Mission East has taken runner-up in each of the last three state meets.

Deedy said she's still extremely proud of the team's consistently strong performances at state and the legacy she's leaving behind.

"All I wanted to do is give us as many points as possible," Deedy said. "I know how amazing Free State and Blue Valley North and Blue Valley West all are. They all have some amazing swimmers, so to be able to put up a fight like that and be able to snatch second was really amazing.

"I think our grade especially has had a really positive impact on this team," Deedy said. "All of us are really happy-go-lucky people and really bright people to be around, so I'm hoping that the grades below us will keep that going."  

BLAKE SISTERS POWER BLUE VALLEY NORTH TO TEAM TROPHY WITH RELAY WINS

Blue Valley North earned a team trophy, taking third place despite not having any state champs in individual events.

However, the Mustangs did take gold in two relay events. 

Blue Valley North senior Caroline Blake anchored the 200-yard freestyle and 400-yard freestyle relays in first-place finishes. Blake added to her medal haul by taking second in the 50-yard freestyle and third in the 100-yard freestyle.

"I couldn't have done it without all my other teammates," Blake said. "We've worked really hard for this, so it was a very rewarding moment."

Blake did have help in the relay events from a strong crop of freshmen, including her younger sister Sarah Blake.

"We've actually only been swimming together for two years," Caroline Blake said. "It was a very fun moment. I trust her and we trust each other. I feel like that helps a lot with the relays."

Not only did the Blakes compete together in the relays, but they also competed against each in the individual events. Sarah took sixth in the 50 free and finished one spot behind her sister in the 100 free.

The Blakes had a lot of fun sibling moments at state this year, but Caroline said the final performance in the 400 freestyle relay stood above the rest for her. The Blakes won the 200-yard freestyle, along with freshman Siena Masillonis and freshman Charlotte Barton, with a solid cushion between them and the runner-up Free State team. 

The 400 free relay team of the Blakes, Barton and freshman Margo Hauser had a much closer race to close out the state meet. They finished with a time of 3:35.51, edging out the Free State team by 0.35 seconds.

"We knew that we had to win it to help our team (win a team trophy)," Blake said. "It was very rewarding and with it being my last high school swim, it was just a very emotional moment."

Blake said she hopes she's left a strong legacy at Blue Valley North, one that her younger sister will continue to uphold over the next three years.  

BLUE VALLEY WEST'S FINZEN WINS 2 GOLD MEDALS, SETS ALL-TIME STATE MARK IN 100 FLY

Blue Valley West sophomore Annika Finzen did not quite have the same results at state as she did freshman year. Finzen won four gold medals as she led her team to a team state title.

This year, she'll have to settle for two gold medals and an all-time state record.

Finzen once again walked away with gold medals in the 100-yard backstroke and the 100-yard butterfly, which she finished in 54.89 to set the all-time mark in Kansas. She also picked up two third-place finishes in the 200-yard medley relay and 400-yard freestyle relay.

"It was an adrenaline rush for sure," Finzen said. "I would say the fly (record) was a little surprising. My swimming felt a little jittery, but as I touched the wall and looked up at the time, it was mind blowing."

Finzen said she really enjoyed racing against her close friend, Blue Valley Northwest sophomore Sophia Paduano, in the 100 backstroke.

"She just helped push me in that 100 backstroke," Finzen said. "Without her, I don't think I would've got that time. It was great."

Now that she has two years of winning the same events, Finzen said she might look at changing things up next year, although she's not quite sure.

"I think I'll just try to improve throughout the year with my club team and maybe break another state record next year," Finzen said.

Her first thought was switching to the 200 individual medley, which her sister Isabelle won twice in Class 5-1A as a member of the Blue Valley Southwest team in 2015 and 2016. Isabelle became an assistant coach at Blue Valley West when Finzen joined the team two years ago. 

"I would say my biggest memory (from state) is having my sister give me the medal on the first place stand," Finzen said.

BLUE VALLEY NORTHWEST'S PADUANO, GARRELTS DELIVERS STATE-TITLE PERFORMANCES FOR HUSKIES

Blue Valley West sophomore Sophia Paduano won the 50-yard freestyle race with a time of 23.93. Blue Valley North senior Caroline Blake nearly caught her in the prelims, but Paduano added some distance in finals.

Paduano, who has earned four top-four finishes over two state meets, said it felt great to win her first gold medal in that race.

"I was really happy when I saw the board," Paduano said. "But the best part of it was seeing all my friends' reactions … and how excited they were."

Paduano said her goal heading into the final was to maintain a good mindset and focus on her own performance despite knowing how close her competition was in the prelims. Blake and Free State junior Samantha Packard finished less than one-tenth of a second behind Paduano in that one.

"I just made sure that I had a good mentality and that I knew what I needed to focus on during the (finals) race," she said.

Paduano also took second in the 100-yard backstroke with a time of 57.09. She took first in the prelims, but could not catch up with Blue Valley West sophomore Annika Finzen in the finals. 

Paduano said she was upset with her performance in the 100 backstroke, but not just because she missed out on earning double-gold.

"I just wasn't very happy with my time," Paduano said. "My prelims time was obviously a lot faster. 

Paduano's personal best of 56.33 in the prelims her time slipped in the finals. Paduano said she knew when she reached the wall after the first 50 yards that her time was slower than normal.

"(Finzen) got ahead of me a bit," she said.

Paduano, also took sixth in both the 200-yard medley relay and 400-yard freestyle relay, said she's excited about building on these results during her junior campaign next year. For now, she'll turn her attention to long-course training in club swimming this summer.
"I think I was a little nervous and stressed," Garrelts said. "There was a lot of pressure because I really wanted to win. But I just knew I had to stay confident and make sure my dives were consistent."

Garrelts ultimately pulled away, finishing with a 395.80 to Self's 391.80. Garrelts finished last year's state meet in sixth place.

Garrelts, who finished in sixth place at last year's state meet, said she worked really hard over the last year to close the gap with top divers in the state.

"I think something that was big for me was not really focusing on winning, more just focused on beating my scores," she said. 

Garrelts plans to attack this offseason and next swim season that same way with the hope that she can repeat as the Class 6A state diving champions next year as well.
   

CLASS 6A ALL-STATE TEAMS

FIRST TEAM

Caroline Blake, Blue Valley North; Anne Deedy, Shawnee Mission East; Ariana Dirkzwager, Wichita East; Liza Engelbrecht, Free State; Annika Finzen, Blue Valley West; Claire Garrelts, Blue Valley Northwest; Margo Hauser, Blue Valley North; Kira Jacobs, Olathe South; Maeve Linscott, Shawnee Mission East; Halle McCullough, Free State; Samantha Packard, Free State; Sophia Paduano, Blue Valley Northwest; Sayler Roberts, Campus; Bradie Ward, Free State.

SECOND TEAM

Mara Bare, Washburn Rural; Piper Benjamin, Shawnee Mission East; Sarah Blake, Blue Valley North; Carmen Braden, Lawrence; Mia Jacobs, Olathe South; Abby Jones, Wichita East; Molly Nuckolls, Free State; Emma Schmidt, Blue Valley; Ana Self, Derby; Emily Snyder, Blue Valley.

Swimmer of the meet -- Anne Deedy, Shawnee Mission East

Coach of the year -- Maegan Ruport, Olathe West