BonnerSprings.com

Mark Lee

Special to the Chieftain/Sentinel

Senior Josh Cook of the Bonner Springs High School swim team opened the season with the best meet of his career.

Cook, a co-captain, placed second in the 100 breaststroke to top the Braves in their first meet last Wednesday (Dec. 5) in their YMCA pool.

His second-place finish was his best at Bonner Springs.

"I started out pretty strong," Cook said. "But I got tired towards the end and was just trying to tough it out."

Cook was still proud of his 1:21.96 time in the breaststroke finals.

"That almost beat my best time from last year," Cook said. "My best is 1:21.23. I hope to come out in my next meet and do a little better."

Bonner Springs head coach Lynn LaNoue said Cook turned in an outstanding effort.

"I thought Josh Cook did good in the breaststroke," LaNoue said.

One reason Cook said he was tired by the time the breaststroke had ended was he had already helped the team place in three other events in the meet. Cook also was fifth in the 200 individual medley (2:49.03). He also anchored the 200 freestyle relay team to a third in 1:51.06 and swam a leg on the fourth-place 200 medley relay in 2:25.15.

Other team members on the Braves 200 free relay were Ryan Holcomb, J.K. Kraus and Matt Bille.

Holcomb, a sophomore letterman, was happy about his 50-yard opening leg of the 200 free relay.

"I almost qualified for state so that is something I am looking forward to," Holcomb said. "I think I got a 25.0 and you only need a 23.8 to go to state. I was pretty tired by then. But I should get it (to state in the 50 free) with no problem. The 50 free is normally my best event, but I didn't swim it today."

Holcomb added a fourth in the 200 IM (2:40.72) and was sixth in the 100 butterfly (1:19.46).

LaNoue hopes Holcomb swims better today when the team competes in a meet at Blue Valley West..

"Ryan didn't have the meet he wanted, because he wasn't feeling well," LaNoue said.

Matt Bille, a junior letterman, may have been the biggest surprise for the Braves.

Beside Bille's leg in the 200 Free relay, he finished fifth in the 100 freestyle (1:02.38) and seventh in the 100 backstroke (1:20.40).

When I was a freshman, I was the worst one on the team," Bille said. "But every year I seem to get better."

Bille credits LaNoue, a first-year coach for the Braves, for some of his improvements.

"The coach has helped us out a lot this year," Bille said. "He is a pretty good coach and has the team together."

Bille said he was ready to swim the 100 freestyle event.

"I set a really good pace and my form was really good," Bille said. "I thought I had a good day and a good race."

Bille also anchored the 200 medley realy team to their fourth place finish. Zach Holder, Cook and Holcomb filled out that team.

Zach Holder, the other senior captain, has been slowed by an ear injury.

"Zach has an injury and could not do diving," LaNoue said. "That was a real bummer."

Holder managed to place eighth in the 100 backstroke (1:34.98). He also led off the 400 freestyle relay team, also consisting of Tyler Johnson, J.K. Kraus and Alex Sullivan, which finished fourth in 5:53.12.

Sophomore Tyler Kelly also had a good meet. He collected a pair of eighth-place finishes in both the 50 and 100 freestyle. His times were 29.73 in the 50 and 1:09.54 in the 100.

Another sophomore, J.K. Kraus, ended up sixth in the 500 freestyle (7:58.90) and seventh in the 200 freestyle (2:39.62).

Benior Alex Sullivan earned his eighth in the 500 free (8:41.13) and a ninth in the 200 free (3:10.29).

Freshman Tyler Johnson was ninth in the breaststroke (1:44.16) and 10th in the 200 free (3:46.70).

Another freshman, Jacob Moulin, added a 10th in the 100 breaststroke (1:52.88).

LaNoue said he was pleased with his young squad, which finished in third place in the team standings overall.

"I was impressed with some of our freshmen and sophomores," LaNoue said. "They are looking better on diving and starts. They stepped up to the table."

Olathe Northwest took the team championship with 363 team points while Blue Valley was second with 259 points. Bonner Springs was next with 130 followed by Washington/Sumner's combined team with 65 and Turner with 11.

The Braves swim at 4 p.m. today at Blue Valley West.