Park Hill South delivered a commanding performance last Tuesday, Dec. 23, at the Gladstone Community Center, overwhelming a six-school field to claim the team title in a meet that showcased the depth and balance of the Panthers’ girls swimming and diving program.
Park Hill South finished with 701 points, winning eight of the 12 events to nearly double runner-up Staley (367) and comfortably ahead of Lee’s Summit (351), Oak Park (173), Smithville (143) and North Kansas City (97). The Panthers placed swimmers in scoring positions throughout the lineup, piling up points in both individual events and relays.
The meet opened with a strong tone for Park Hill South in the 200-yard medley relay, where the Panthers’ A team of Lizzie Landuyt, Joslyn Perry, Avery Hogue and Elisa DeCaro touched first in 1 minute, 54.63 seconds. A second Panthers relay followed closely behind, finishing second to give Park Hill South the first 74 points of the morning.
That momentum carried into the freestyle events. Ashlyn Hines led the Panthers in the 200-yard freestyle with a runner-up finish in 2:07.07, while teammates Neala McHugh and Adelaide Pircher also scored. DeCaro, a senior, later claimed an individual win in the 50-yard freestyle, sprinting to first in 26.35, with Perry and Lily Wheeler also adding top-four finishes.
Park Hill South’s dominance was especially evident on the diving board. The Panthers swept the top four spots in the 1-meter diving competition, led by senior Aniya Clemons’ winning score of 201.55. Avery Kuennen (198.10), Hailey Kuennen (197.85) and Addie Lee (186.30) followed closely behind, creating a significant point swing that further separated Park Hill South from the rest of the field going into the second half of the meet.
Lizzie Landuyt nearly won the 100-yard breaststroke as well, but fell short to Lee’s Summit’s Abby Sanning.
In the butterfly, Landuyt earned another victory for the Panthers, touching first in the 100-yard butterfly with a time of 1:00.91. Claire Dierker and Brooke Nichols also finished among the top four, continuing the steady scoring spree that overwhelmed the competition.
The Panthers showed their depth again in the 100-yard freestyle, placing four swimmers in the top four. McHugh led the group with a first-place finish in 1:00.06, followed by Wheeler, Jia Hurst and Perry in quick succession.
Distance events also proved productive. Hines captured first place in the 500-yard freestyle in 5:53.48, while DeCaro finished second and Reese Dugan added another scoring effort later in the race.
Relay races capped the day in fitting fashion. Park Hill South won the 200-yard freestyle relay in 1:45.91 with Hines, Hogue, DeCaro and Landuyt. The Panthers closed the meet with a first-place finish in the 400-yard freestyle relay, as Nichols, Wheeler, Dierker and Hines combined for a winning time of 4:07.63.
With point contributions coming from every event, Park Hill South delivered a complete team performance. The convincing victory highlighted the Panthers’ depth and consistency as they wrapped up the opening frame of their season on a positive note, heading into more competitions after the turn of the New Year.