Bulldog Boys Earn 6th at State Championships

Kearney High School swimmers (back row, from left) Jake Zingerman, Braden Tonks, Jack Haley, Lane Austin, (front row, from left) Adam Hoffman, Scott Doll, Peter Moore and Ridge McBride earned sixth place at state

The Kearney High School swim team boys earned sixth place in the Missouri Class 1 State Championships on Nov. 11-12 in St. Peters.

KHS swimmers at state included Adam Hoffman, Scott Doll, Ridge McBride, Peter Moore, Lane Austin, Braden Tonks, Jake Zingerman and Jack Haley. Each either matched or beat their entry times.

The Bulldogs had 11 lifetime best races and seven appearances on the awards podium, according to coach Jessa Hahn. Within a two-week window, the team came from behind to win the varsity conference meet and then turned around quickly with an outstanding performance at state.

“I could not be prouder of the 2021 Bulldog Swim and Dive Team,” coach Hahn said. “This team perseveres through difficulties to still be a strong, competitive force in the water. The level of camaraderie, sportsmanship, and dedication this group of young men demonstrates is amazing and exciting to watch.”

STATE MEET HIGHLIGHTS:

· Adam Hoffman took third in the 50 freestyle with a 21.82 time

· Adam also finished fifth in the 100 butterfly with a time of 53.39

· Scott Doll earned third in the 500 freestyle and had a lifetime best time of 4:41.08

· The Bulldog 200 Medley Relay, consisting of Peter Moore, Scott Doll, Ridge McBride and Adam Hoffman, finished seventh with a season's best time of 1:40.43

· Ridge McBride earned sixth in the 200 freestyle with a time of 1:44.98

· Ridge also finished sixth in the 100 freestyle

· The Bulldog 200 Freestyle Relay, consisting of Scott Doll, Lane Austin, Ridge McBride and Adam Hoffman, finished seventh

· Lane Austin also competed in the 100 backstroke, his first individual state appearance in his high school swim career, and tied his personal best time of 59.91 to earn 30th

· Peter Moore also competed in the 100 backstroke and swam a lifetime best of 57.29, earning him 15th

· Scott Doll finished his meet with a 13th-place finish in the 100 breaststroke

· The Bulldog 400 Freestyle Relay, consisting of Lane Austin, Jake Zingerman, Braden Tonks and Peter Moore, swam a time of 3:37.82 and earned 29th

KPGZ Sports - Ray Weikal of the Kearney School District contributed to this story