TopSports.news' 15 boys swimmers to watch in 2021-2022

By RICK PETERSON

TopSports.news

TRUMAN BREDE, Shawnee Heights

Brede finished fifth in the 100-yard backstroke and seventh in the 200 freestyle in the season-opening Topeka West Invitational and also swam on the T-Birds' second-place 200 medley relay.

JAXON COWDIN, Topeka High

Cowdin is a standout one-meter diver for Topeka High and opened his 2021-2022 season with a third-place finish in last week's Topeka West Invitational, posting a score of 155.10.

CORDELL DIMICK, Washburn Rural

Dimick, a junior, was the city champion in the 100-yard breaststroke and placed third in the 200 individual medley last season, earning first-team All-City recognition. Dimick also swam on the Junior Blues' second-place 200 medley relay team at city before taking third in both the 100 breast and 200 individual medley in the Centennial League meet en route to earning all-league first-team honors. Dimick swam on Rural's winning 200 free relay in the season-opening Topeka West Invitational.

JALEN EILERT, Washburn Rural

The Washburn Rural senior was the runner-up in the 200 individual medley in last season's city meet and also finished third in the 100 butterfly. Eilert swam on the Junior Blues' 200 medley relay team that finished second in the city meet as Washburn Rural ran away with the city team title. Eilert took fifth in the 100 freestyle in the season-opening Topeka West Invitational.

DYLAN GREGG, Hayden

Gregg finished ninth in the 50 freestyle and swam on Hayden's ninth-place 200 medley relay in last week's Topeka West Invitational.

EVAN HOOBLER, Shawnee Heights

Hoobler finished fifth in the 200 freestyle in the season-opening Topeka West Invitational and also swam on Shawnee Heights' second-place 200 free relay.

GUILLAUME HUMBLET, Shawnee Heights

Humblet opened his 2021-2022 season with a win in the 100 freestyle and a second-place finish in the 100 breaststroke in the Topeka West Invitational and also swam on the T-Birds' second-place 200 medley and 200 free relay teams.

BROGAN MEIER, Washburn Rural

A sophomore, Meier finished third in the 200 freestyle and fourth in the 500 free in last season's city meet for the team-champion Junior Blues and he finished second in the 100 backstroke and sixth in the 50 free in the the Centennial League meet. Meier also swam on the Junior Blues' fourth-place 200 medley relay in the league meet. Meier, who earned first-team All-City honors a year ago, opened the current season with a win in the 500 free at the Topeka West Invitational and swam on Rural's winning 400 free relay. 

JACK MIRANDA, Washburn Rural

A sophomore, Miranda opened the 2021-2022 season in the Topeka West Invitational with an individual win in the 200-yard freestyle and Miranda also swam on the Junior Blues' winning 200 free and 400 relays. Miranda finished second in the 500 freestyle, helping lead Washburn Rural to a second-place team finish. Miranda was a second-team All-City selection as a freshman.

PERRY PAYNE, Topeka High

A junior, Payne's sophomore season included a runner-up finish in the city meet in the 100 breaststroke and he also finished fifth in the 200 individual medley. Payne swam on Topeka High's 400 freestyle relay team that finished fourth in the city meet and on the 200 free relay that took fifth. Payne placed fifth in the 100 breast and seventh in the 200 individual medley in the league meet. Payne was eighth in the 100 breaststroke in the season-opening Topeka West Invitational and swam on High's fifth-place 400 free relay.

Luke Perkins, a Shawnee Heights junior, is one of the city's top returning swimmers after earning multiple Class 5A-1A state medals a year ago. [File photo/TSN]

LUKE PERKINS, Shawnee Heights

A junior, Perkins finished third in the Class 5A-1A state meet in the 100-yard butterfly last season and also posted a seventh-place finish in the 200 individual medley. Perkins won a pair of individual events in the 2021 city meet and also helped the T-Birds post a relay victory. Perkins won the 200 individual medley and the 500 freestyle at city and also swam on Heights' winning 200 medley relay team. Perkins opened the current season with individual wins in the 200 individual medley and the 100 butterfly in the Topeka West Invitational. 

WILL POWELL, Washburn Rural

The Washburn Rural sophomore finished second in the 100 butterfly in his first city meet and took fifth in the 500 freestyle. Powell finished second in the 200 individual medley in the Centennial League meet and was third in the 100 butterfly. Powell also swam on the Junior Blues' fourth-place 200 medley relay in the league meet. Powell swam on Washburn Rural's winning 200 free relay team in the season-opening Topeka West Invitational.

DANIEL RAMIREZ, Seaman 

Ramirez finished fourth in the 200 freestyle and the 100 backstroke for the Vikings in the season-opening Topeka West Invitational last week and also swam on Seaman's fourth-place 200 free and sixth-place 400 free relays.

Washburn Rural's Nathen Trachta was a repeat selection on the All-City boys swimming team last season after winning multiple events in the city and Centennial League meets. [File photo/TSN]

NATHEN TRACHTA, Washburn Rural

A senior, Trachta won city championships in the 100 butterfly and the 100 backstroke last season and repeated that double in the Centennial League championships. Trachta also helped the Junior Blues post 200 and 400 free relay wins in both the city and league meets. A two-time All-City first-teamer, Trachta swam on Washburn Rural's 200 free relay team that finished seventh in the 6A state meet. Trachta opened the current season with second-place finishes in the 200 individual medley and the 100 backstroke and swam on Rural's winning 200 free and 400 free relays.

TANNER ZERGER, Shawnee Heights -- Zerger finished in a tie for fourth in the 50 freestyle in the season-opening Topeka West Invitational and swam on Shawnee Heights' second-place 200 medley and 200 free relays.

Other swimmers to watch:

Hayden: Ryan Johnson, Cole Scheer, Eli Wahlmeier. Seaman: Blaize Appelhanz, Brayden Crowell, Jake Moss, Ebb Nelson, Theo Wagnon. Topeka High: Dawson Blankenship, Lincoln Carter, Trip Carter. Washburn Rural: Cody Colwell.