I🏊‍apit ndian swimmers enjoy a strong finish of the record season

By Diane Gasper-O'Brien
Especially for Hays Post

Tyler Stein says there is nothing more exciting than swimming at the State Swim Meet well.

But he found out this weekend that he could be even better.

Last weekend 5-1A swimming and diving state championships in Lenexa completed the Hays High Boys 'swimming team from Hays' swimming team with two school records.

“It was completely different as a coach,” said Stein, a former all-State swimmer in the High School in his first year as the Indian coach. “I was concerned about you and not about myself, and to see how excited you were after they had broken these plates was so cool. It is something you will remember the rest of your life. “

The Indians saved the best for the last time.

In the last race of the day of the 400 yard freestyle relay Hays High, cut more than five seconds after his time from the previous day.

Her time of 3 minutes, 30.5 seconds in the final deleted the old school record of 3: 34.17, which had been standing for 12 years.

It wasn't just good enough to win the consolation finale with their ninth place, but would also have brought them into the seventh medal if they had swam in the medal.

In the state, the top eight times from the first day of the competition to the medal round of the last day are progressing, while the 9th to 16th Times swim the consolation finale.

The 400 Yard relay of the Indians of Senior Marshall Sook, Sophomore Cedric Durr and Juniors Karsen Flaska and Chase Zadina on Friday in the prime time (3: 35.03).

That was the ninth best prelim period, in which she only ended a place that rounded the medal. They then smashed the school record the next day.

“It is crazy to extinguish so many seconds before a season,” said Stein. “They were so pumped.”

The same four swimmers also broke the school record in the 200 yard freestyle relay and took the 11th overall in the federal state with a time of 1: 34.39. This improved the old brand of 1: 34.93 in 2014.

Sook completed an unforgettable senior season and swimmed the personal painting times at two individual events. In 22.98 seconds, he took the 13th overall in 50-yard freestyle and in 100-yard freestyle in 51.54.

Although the Indians had no swimmers in the top night, they still took 14th place in the team among the 44 participating schools.

“We had five swimmers who took part in the state, and some of these teams were triple in this size or more,” said Stein. “I couldn't be proud of her. It was another memory of how great was for us this season. “

And everyone who is connected to the 2025 season would have to agree.

Stein, a student of Fort Hays State University with a focus on financial resources, took over the head coach of the Indians just a few weeks before the start of the season.

Under his guidance, the Indians began to swim better and improve their times every time.

A year ago, the Indians only brought one seasons team to the state after reaching a state surveillance period.

This year's team ended the regular season with an impressive performance at the Western Athletic Conference Championships and became second place in the team with their small squad, while he won eight of the eleven events and brought 14 gold medals home.

In the past few weeks, the Indians have qualified all three relay teams for the state together with the two individual events from Sook.

Junior Noah Schaeffer joined Flaska, Zadina and Durr in the state's 200-yard medley team, which the consolation finale missed in preparations with its 19th place.

“I am looking forward to this relay team next year to see what you will do,” said Stein, “because you will be all back.”

First, however, he is looking forward to training the HHS team of girls this spring.

One can certainly say that Stein has discovered something even more rewarding than winning a race themselves.