Omaha Marian and the Elkhorn/Elkhorn South boys leaned on their depth Saturday to win team titles at the Omaha Skutt Swimming and Diving Invitational.

The Crusaders cruised to a 305-195 victory over runner-up Ralston/Omaha Gross while Elkhorn's co-op edged the Council Bluffs co-op of Lewis Central, Thomas Jefferson and Abraham Lincoln 300-242.

Marian won only four of the 11 swimming events in the meet, held at Ralston High School. Illinois recruit Kristy Kunkel won the 500-yard freestyle in a state-leading time of 5:15.55 before edging state leader Katie Ditter of Ralston/Gross by 0.05 seconds to win the 100 breaststroke in 1:10.96.

Senior Kyra Lindholm won the 200 freestyle in a personal-best 2:00.65, the fourth-fastest time in the state this season, and the Crusaders' 200 freestyle relay quartet of Kathryn Nichting, Katelin Lempka, Alexa Gross and Kunkel won in 1:45.65.

Marian coach David Anderson said his swimmers did a good job in events they don't usually swim. At this point in the season, Anderson said swimming different races helps break up the monotony of a long season.

“Today we were mixing it up a little bit and they responded really well,” Anderson said. “We have good team chemistry this year because we have captains who have made it a good atmosphere to keep getting better.”

Swimmers from Omaha Duchesne, who finished third in the team race with 181 points, won the other seven events. Twin sisters Alexandria and Brianna Bilunas both won two individual events — Alexandria the 50 (24.66) and 100 (53..45) and Brianna the 100 butterfly (59.83) and 100 backstroke (1:01.76).

Sophomore BreighAnne Lawrence won the 200 individual medley in 2:21.66, and she joined the Bilunas twins and Jennelle Jarrett on the Cardinals' two winning relay teams — the 200 medley and 400 freestyle.

Three meet records were set in the boys meet — Ralston/Gross freshman Garrett Cadotte in the 200 individual medley and three by the Lewis Central/Tee Jay/Abe Lynx co-op. Two of those were individual records — RJ Hemmingsen in the 100 buttefly and Ben Kurz in the 500 freestyle — and those two were part of the 200 freestyle relay team that also included Spencer Smith and Brandon Farnum.

Elkhorn/Elkhorn South won the team title but won only two events. Jay Nelson took the 100 freestyle in 51.31 and anchored the Stormin' Antlers 200 medley relay team, following Mike Stein, John Overman and Alex Hays into the pool.

BOYS

Team scoring: Elkhorn/Elkhorn South 300, Council Bluffs Lewis Central/Thomas Jefferson/Abraham Lincoln 242, Ralston/Omaha Gross 182, Omaha Brownell-Talbot/Omaha Concordia/Omaha Roncalli 129, Omaha Skutt/Elkhorn Mt. Michael 95, Beatrice/Norris/Fairbury 87, Omaha Benson 86, Omaha North 67, Lincoln Pius X 52, South Sioux City 24, Omaha South 18.

Event winners

200-yard medley relay: Elkhorn/Elkhorn South (Mike Stein, John Overman, Alex Hays, Jay Nelson), 1:43.50. 200 freestyle: Ben Kurz, CB Lewis Central, 1:49.29. 200 individual medley: Garrett Cadotte, Ralston/Gross, 2:07.65 (meet record, betters 2:08.40 by Jeremy Yacevich, 2007). 50 freestyle: Brandon Farnum, CB Lewis Central, 23.55. 1-meter diving: Kevin Koch, Skutt/Elkhorn MM, 381.00 points. 100 butterfly: RJ Hemmingsen, CB Lewis Central, 54.09 (meet record, betters 55.34 by Andrew Nelson, Beatrice, 2010). 100 freestyle: Nelson, 51.31. 500 freestyle: Kurz, 4:52.57 (meet record, betters 4:58.18 by Andrew Nelson, Beatrice, 2009). 200 freestyle relay: CB Lewis Central (Hemmingsen, Spencer Smith, Farnum, Kurz), 1:31.84 (meet record, betters 1:32.98 by Ralston/Omaha Gros, 2008). 100 backstroke: Hemmingsen, 56.96. 100 breaststroke: Evan Gensler, Brownell-Talbot/Conc/Ronc, 1:04.95. 400 freestyle relay: CB Lewis Central (Kurz, Taylor Severson, Jimmy Hawk, Hemmingsen), 3:25.81.

GIRLS

Team scoring: Omaha Marian 305, Ralston/Omaha Gross 195, Omaha Duchesne 181, Omaha Skutt 160, Elkhorn/Elkhorn South 150, Beatrice/Norris/Fairbury 96, Omaha North 71, Omaha Brownell-Talbot/Omaha Concordia/Omaha Mercy/Omaha Roncalli 62, South Sioux City 34, Omaha Benson 24, Omaha South 10.

Event winners

200-yard medley relay: Omaha Duchesne (Alexandra Bilunas, BreighAnne Lawrence, Brianna Bilunas, Jennelle Jarrett), 1:54.18. 200 freestyle: Kyra Lindholm, Marian, 2:00.65. 200 individual medley: Lawrence, 2:21.66. 50 freestyle: A. Bilunas, 24.66. 1-meter diving: Elizabeth Howorth, Elkhorn/Elkhorn South, 403.65. 100 butterfly: B. Bilunas, 59.83. 100 freestyle: A. Bilunas, 53.45. 500 freestyle: Kristy Kunkel, Marian, 5:15.55. 200 freestyle relay: Marian (Kathryn Nichting, Katelin Lempka, Alexa Gross, Kunkel), 1:45.65. 100 backstroke: B. Bilunas, 1:01.76. 100 breaststroke: Kunkel, 1:10.96. 400 freestyle relay: Omaha Duchesne (A. Bilunas, Lawrence, Jarrett, B. Bilunas), 3:43.91.

Oeltjen jumps to first as Millard West takes invite

Millard West won nine of the 11 swimming events Saturday to run away with the team title at the Millard North Girls Swimming and Diving Invitational.

The three-time defending state champions scored 319.5 points, well ahead of runner-up Lincoln East (163). Leading the charge for the Wildcats was sophomore Erin Oeltjen, who moved from fourth to first place on the season leaders list by winning the 100-yard butterfly in 58.94.

Millard West won all three relays, and Oeltjen led off two of those — the 200 medley and 400 freestyle. She also won the 100 backstroke in 1:00.87. Senior Emma O'Connell also won four gold medals, winning individual titles in the 200 freestyle (1:59.38) and 100 freestyle (54.54) while also swimming legs on the 200 and 400 freestyle relay teams.

Team scoring: Millard West 319.5, Lincoln East 163, Lincoln Southwest 148, Millard North 138, Columbus 130, Omaha Burke 95.5, Lincoln Southeast 87, Lincoln Pius X 87, Papillion-La Vista/Papio South 82, Norfolk 61, Omaha Central 25, Millard South 24, Bellevue East 22, Bellevue West 13.

Event winners: 200-yard medley relay: Millard West (Erin Oeltjen, Madison Besch, Brooke Stilmock, Katherine McGinn), 1:56.44. 200 freestyle: Emma O'Connell, MW, 1:59.38. 200 individual medley: Karen Illg, MW, 2:16.35. 50 freestyle: Elizabeth McGinn, MW, 25.37. 1-meter diving: Lilly Hinrichs, LSE, 454.75 points. 100 butterfly: Oeltjen, 58.94. 100 freestyle: O'Connell, 54.54. 500 freestyle: Aimee Fischer, LSW, 5:21.11. 200 freestyle relay: Millard West (Illg, E. McGinn, K. McGinn, O'Connell), 1:42.30. 100 backstroke: Oeltjen, 1:00.87. 100 breaststroke: Laura Miksch, Columbus, 1:10.81. 400 freestyle relay: Millard West (Oeltjen, O'Connell, Illg, E. McGinn), 3:41.49.

Contact the writer:

490-9714, alexsdad@mail.com

twitter.com/stevebeideck

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