By Terry Boehmker
NKyTribune sports reporter
Highlands swimmers placed first in two events and second in three others during the championship finals of the boys state meet on Saturday and came home with the runner-up team trophy.
Louisville St. Xavier won the boys team title for the 32nd consecutive year by a 592-193 margin over Highlands. The Bluebirds did finish on top in the boys and girls combined team standings at the state meet that was held at the University of Kentucky.
The boys state champion swimmers for Highlands were junior Mac Russell in the 50-yard freestyle (20.63) and junior Jeff Banks in the 100-yard breaststroke (55.65). They were also members of the 200 medley relay and 400 freestyle relay teams that placed second.
The Bluebirds’ other second-place finisher was Russell in the 100 freestyle and Banks placed eighth in the 100 butterfly.
The other Highlands swimmers who competed in relay events during the boys championship finals were senior Tyler Brown, juniors Harrison Pawsat and Will Griffith, sophomore Sam Jones and freshman Matt Herfel.
The top scorers in boys 1-meter diving were Covington Catholic senior Jude Dierker (525.65) and St. Henry junior Aiden Stigall (486.45). This is the 10th time in the last 11 years that a state qualifier from Northern Kentucky has won the boys diving title.
Beechwood junior Eli Shoyat placed third in the 500 freestyle and fifth in the 200 freestyle to rank among the top local scorers in individual events at the boys state meet.