Ward, McIntosh Lead Group Of Fast Swimmers At Missouri Valley Age Group Championships

04/01/2025 11:15 AM

By Keith Dunlap on SwimSwam

2025 Missouri Valley Age Group Championships

• March 6-9, 2025
• Lenexa, KS
• SCY (25 yards)
• Results

Karsyn Ward and Autumn McIntosh showed why they have a few of the fastest times in their age groups this year while competing at the Missouri Valley Age Group Championships.

Ward, who swims for Empire KC Swim Club, won four events in the girls’ 13-14 age group, setting personal best times to win the 500 freestyle (5:10.16), 100 backstroke (56.94) and 200 back (2:01.52). She also won the 1000 free (10:57.27) and currently has the third-fastest time in the 200 back and the sixth-fastest time in the 100 back among 13-year-old girls this season.

McIntosh took home seven titles in the 11-12 age group for the Pittsburg YMCA Swim Team, winning the 50 free (24.64), 100 free (54.12), 200 free (1:57.77), 500 free (5:10.38), 50 back (28.51), 100 back (1:01.18) and the 200 back (2:12.15). All of her times except the 200 back were personal bests.

McIntosh has the eighth-fastest time this season in the 500 free and the ninth-fastest time in 50 free among 12-year-old girls this season.

Team-wise, the Kansas City Blazers swept the combined, girls' and boys' titles.

Other individual standouts were:

• Hayden Benbow of the Empire KC Swim Club won four events in the girls’ 13-14 age group. She set personal best times in winning the 50 free (24.31), 100 free (52.91), 200 free (1:54.61) and 200 IM (2:08.71). She was also second in the 100 back (57.79) and 100 fly (personal best time of 58.44).
• Ella Marsh of Ad Astra Area Aquatics also won four events in the girls’ 13-14 age group, winning the 100 breast (1:07.55), 200 breast (2:27.09), 100 fly (57.90), and 200 fly (2:08.67), all in personal best times. She also was second in the 100 free (personal best time of 53.80), and 200 IM (2:10.89).
• In the boys' 13-14 age group, Walker Newell of Empire KC Swim Club won four events in personal best times, taking home titles in the 500 free (4:53.81), 1000 free (10:08.39), 100 fly (53.99) and 200 fly (2:01.55). He was also second in the 200 free (1:50.76) and 400 IM (4:26.22), both in personal best times.
• Sam Christy of Wichita Swim Club won four events. He captured the 100 free (personal best time of 48.89), 200 free (personal best time of 1:48.47), 100 back (53.61) and 200 back (1:56.89).
• Henry Christensen of the Wichita Northwest YMCA Neptunes won the 50 free (22.27), 1650 free (17:21.26) and 200 IM (2:02.98) in the boys’ 13-14 age group, all in personal best times.
• Melinda Zhang of Ad Astra Area Aquatics won four events in the girls’ 11-12 age group. She captured the 200 back (2:16.38), 100 fly (1:03.22) and 200 fly (2:22.34) in personal best times, and also won the 200 fly (2:22.34). Zhang swam a personal best time of 1:03.69 to finish second in the 100 IM.
• Landry Pendleton of Missouri State Aquatics in the girls’ 11-12 age group won the 50 breast (32.01), 50 fly (27.86), 100 IM (1:03.41) and 100 IM (1:07.90), all in personal best times.
• Max Nasdryn of the Kansas City Blazers won five titles in the boys' 11-12 age group, winning the 100 free (personal best 54.65), 50 breast (personal best 30.73), 100 breast (1:08.33), 200 breast (2:32.67) and 100 IM (personal best 1:01.45).
• In the boys' 11-12 age group, Charlie Swyers of Wichita Swim Club won the 50 free (personal best 25.13), the 50 back (personal best 29.12), 100 back 1:03.34 and 200 fly (2:22.59).
• Grant Hartman of the Kansas City Blazers in the boys’ 11-12 age group won the 500 free (personal best 5:31.55), 200 back (personal best 2:17.09) and 200 IM (2:21.47).
• In the girls’ 10-under age group, Hayley Anderson of Wichita Swim Club won seven titles. She captured the 50 free (27.45), 100 free (59.57), 200 free (2:08.48) 100 back (1:04.20), 100 breast (1:19.10), 100 IM (1:07.90) and 200 IM (2:25.49). All those times except in the 200 free were personal bests. In the 10-year-old girls' age group, Anderson owns the fifth-fastest time in the 100 back and the ninth-fastest in the 200 free.
• Also in the girls’ 10-under age group, Serena Hong of the Kansas City Blazers won the 500 free (personal best time of 6:01.03), 50 back (31.33), 50 fly (31.12) and 100 fly (1:09.10). The times in the 500 free and 100 fly were personal bests.
• In the boys’ 10-under age group, Jonny Messenger of Wichita Swim Club won six events. He too home titles in the 50 free (personal best 27.98), 100 free (personal best 1:03.44), 50 back (33.50), 50 breast (personal best 35.35), 50 fly (personal best 30.67) and 100 IM (1:11.84).

Combined Team Standings — Top 5

1. Kansas City Blazers, 3423
2. Wichita Swim Club, 2685.5
3. Empire KC Swim Club, 2571.5
4. Columbia Swim Club, 1518
5. Club North Swimming, 1075.5

Girls' Team Standings — Top 5

1. Kansas City Blazers, 1742
2. Empire KC Swim Club, 1499
3. Wichita Swim Club, 1359
4. Columbia Swim Club, 701
5. Club North Swimming, 677

Boys' Team Standings — Top 5

1. Kansas City Blazers, 1681
2. Wichita Swim Cub, 1326.5
3. Empire KC Swim Club, 1072.5
4. Kansas City Swim Academy, 822.5
5. Columbia Swim Club, 817

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