The time has come. Today, the Jr. Bills will be immersed in a great war of the waters; a bout that decides the fate of the state. After asserting their district dominance last week they now seek to snag a state title. Today the swimmers are competing in the prelims portion of the meet, in which they fight to qualify for tomorrow’s finals, which will take place at 3:00 p.m. in the St. Peters Rec-Plex. Understandably, hopes are high going into the meet.

“I’m really excited for (the meet),” said freshman Evan Zimmerman. “I don't get to swim, but I’m going to be the loudest person on deck.”

This year the SLUH squad had 17 individuals qualify with at least one person swimming in each event. Qualifying for the meet requires placing top 32 in the state, but in order to earn the team points, a swimmer must place in at least the top 16 at today’s prelims. 

“The goal is to get best times,” said head coach Lindsey Ehret. “We’ve got 13 top 16 seeds, but we have 28 total swims, so there are 15 opportunities for improvement in prelims. We have some kids seeded dead last, so any movement up is a positive thing.”

Representing the U. High in the 200 freestyle is the quintessential quartet of junior Brandon Harris (19th), junior Brendan Shroeder (26th), freshman Greyson Mueller (29th), and freshman Jaden Yarbrough (32nd). 

For the 200 IM the terrific trio of senior Ned Mehmeti (4th), freshman Ben Chumley (22nd), and sophomore Aidan Brawer (30th) will torpedo through the water trying to claim victory. 

“I am really pumped up,” said Brawer. “I’m really excited that I get the opportunity to help the team out. I just want to go a good time and help the team the best I can.”

On the sprint side of the sport, SLUH’s trifecta of thunder, fast as lightning in the 50 free, are senior Jonas Hostetler (4th), junior Jason Cabra (5th), and sophomore Henry Unger (28th). Hostetler (7th) and Cabra (8th) also float side by side in the 100 free.

Senior Cooper Scharff will take on the 100 butterfly from the second seed, prepared to break another record. Also involved in the fly fray are junior Gavin Baldes (21st), sophomore Mattie Peretz (2th), and senior Brody “Bro-Derek” Nester (31st). 

“I feel like I will do well,” said Nester. “You can never really know until the race, but I am going to try to keep consistent solid (form) while keeping a fast stroke rate.”

Hoping to display distance dominance is the feared foursome of Mehmeti, Yarbrough, Mueller, and Schroeder. All four swimmers placed within the top 20 in the 500 free and will represent SLUH in the event. 

Just barely staying afloat, Nester is SLUH’s sole representative in the 100 breaststroke. Nester sits at 32nd after he qualified by the smallest margin possible.

The standout solo events for the team will be the 100 backstroke and 1-meter diving. In both events, SLUH’s swimmers are seeded first. Scharff will plunge through the pool with the efficiency of a giant squid in the 100 backstroke, and senior Sebastian Lawrence will twist himself in the air with the precision of a dolphin during his dives. 

“Hopes are high,” said junior Solomon Shelton. “We’ve been putting the work in this season, though it's been a tough season with everything going on, but we made it through and we’re about to show it (at state).”

More valuable than any individual event, the team will rely on relays to claim the victory, as they are worth twice the points of a normal race. In the 200 medley relay, Hostetler, Mehmeti, Scharff, and Cabra combine their skills for a 4th place seeding. In the 200 freestyle relay, the boys in blue blowing away the competition will be sophomore Kearney Foy as well as Chumley, Unger, and Baldes. The team placed 10th in that event prior to state. Finally, the SLUH swimming powerhouses are all gathered in the 400 freestyle relay, creating an unstoppable team of Hostetler, Mehmeti, Cabra, and Scharff. While seeded 2nd, the relay team has what it takes to rise above its station and claim the state title.

“I’m feeling great,” said Peretz. “As a team we have just been focusing so hard on tapering and getting ready for this. I feel like coach and her vision are all in line for what's going to happen (at state).”

The St. Louis U. High swim and dive team has toiled in rough waters for 14 weeks, all leading to this final battle. No matter what happens today and tomorrow, the immense work and effort each swimmer on the state team has put in throughout the season is something they will always have with them. SLUH’s main competition will be Lee’s Summit West, who have six first seed events, and Rockhurst, who are the returning champions from last year. In the presence of Titans and Hawklets, the fearless Jr. Bills stand tall, ready to conquer the state once and for all.

“There has been a really long time between (the) conference (meet) and state, so it's been a hard balance of staying in shape and staying sharp in terms of speed, and resting,” said Ehret. “We've had so much illness and people out for various reasons this season, so we’re going to  hope for the best. We’ll see what we can achieve on Saturday. I am very confident we can get a trophy, the number on it I am not quite sure yet.”