Tigers make splash in opening meet

~ Central finished fourth as a team and had six state-qualifying times.

The returning state qualifiers for the Central boys swimming team showed coach Dayna Powell that they really have been working hard since last season ended.

The Tigers had six state cuts Saturday in the Cape Rock Invitational at Central Municipal Pool, marking the first time since 1999 that the program had even one state cut in the season's first meet.

Central finished fourth in the nine-team event with one individual champion -- senior Jason Mercer in the 50-yard freestyle.

"I'm thrilled," Powell said. "They talked about building off last year, and they've definitely done the job.

"We are where we fnished off last year. We're faster now with this same group of guys."

Central returned five swimmers from last year's state meet, including Mercer.

He set a meet record in claiming the 50 free in 22.68 seconds, one of Central's state-qualifying times.

Mercer also finished seventh in the 100 freestyle and was a part of two relay teams that earned state cuts.

Notre Dame senior Jameson Kuper was the only other local individual champion at the meet. He finished first in the 200 freestyle in 1:46.06 and won the 100 breaststroke in 1:04.43. Both numbers were state cuts and earned Kuper the rock given to individual champions.

Team rocks went to Springfield Glendale, which finished first with 442 points; Lindbergh, second with 416; and Parkway South, third with 330. Central was fourth at 276; Notre Dame was eighth with 109.

Despite missing out on a team award, Powell said she was elated with the day.

Mercer teamed with Peyton Waggener, Daniel Austin and Hunter Givens for state cuts in the 200 medley relay (third in 1:45.97) and the 200 free relay (third in 1:34.63).

Givens, a state qualifier last year as a sophomore, also made the cut wih a second-place finish in the 100 freestyle in 51.36 seconds. He also was fourth in the 50 free.

Kris Metje, a state qualifier last year, also had a state cut. He finished fourth in the 500 freestyle in 5:11.06. He added a fourth-place finish in the 200 individual medley.

"Probably the biggest surprise of the day was Peyton Waggener," Powell said. "As freshman last year, he was swimming well, but today he was swimming almost a full second under the state cut. It was just a huge drop. We knew he was capable of it, but we didn't expect it today."

Waggener's state cut was a 1:05.79 in the 100 breaststroke, good for third place and just one-tenth of a second out of second. Waggener, in addition to being on two relay teams, was fifth in the 200 individual medley.

Also for Central, diver Tanner Rust returned from an injury that sidelined him all of last year and placed fourth.

"He had the rotations, he had the difficulty, it's just not polished like we need to be," Powell said.

Cape Rock Invitational

Team scores

Glendale 442, Lindbergh 416, Parkway South 330, Central 276, Eureka 223, Webster Groves 169, Springfield Central 110, Notre Dame 109, Poplar Bluff 58.

Local individuals

Medley relay -- 3, Central (Daniel Austin, Peyton Waggener, Jason Mercer, Hunter Givens), 1:45.97*

200 free -- 1, Jameson Kuper (ND), 1:46.06*; 10, Jake Meyer (C), 1:59.52

200 individual medley -- 4, Kris Metje (C), 2:13.83; 5, Waggener (C), 2:14.23

50 free -- 1, Mercer (C) 22.68* (meet record); 4, Hunter Givens (C), 23.49

Diving -- 4, Tanner Rust (C), 276.75; 8, Dustin Welker, 229.00

100 fly -- 9, Staurt Greaser (C), 1:02.36

100 free -- 2, Givens (C) 51.36*; 7, Mercer (C) 53.63

500 free -- 4, Metje (C), 5:11.06*; 8, Meyer (C) 5:25.97

200 free relay -- 3, Central (Austin, Waggener, Mercer, Givens), 1:34.63*; 8, Notre Dame 1:48.02

100 back -- 13, Austin (C), 1:05.77

100 breast -- 1, Kuper (ND) 1:04.43*; 3, Waggener (C), 1:05.79*

400 free relay -- 4, Notre Dame 3:44.76; 7, Central (Metje, Meyer, Greaser, Will LaFoe), 3:53.71

* -- state cut.

Late Tuesday

Notre Dame finished sixth out of 11 teams at the University City Relays on Friday.

The Bulldogs finished third in the 600 medley relay in 7:04.78 and second in the breast stroke relay in 3:35.76. Jamseon Kuper, Adam Reinagel and Logan Bollinger swam in the 600 medley, and Kuper, Reinagel and Lance Carroll swam the breast stroke relay.

Kuper had a state-qualifying swim in the 600 medley relay, swimming his 200 IM in 2:04.40.