After winning state title in 2023, Cape Central senior swimmer aims for state and school record

The newly renovated Cape Aquatic Center has been home to many meets, from Cape Rock to home meets hosted by Cape Central and Notre Dame this year.

It is still the same pool Cape Central senior Phineas Theall has been swimming in his entire youth. For winning a state championship last year and the records he has broken, he will have his name and face on the walls well after graduation.

"I've been swimming in this pool since 2012," Theall said. "So just having my name up on it forever, it'll be really cool."

Ever since he won eight events at an 8U Ozark swimming event, his entire youth has been dedicated to being one of the best swimmers in Cape Central's history.

Theall recently set a new school record in the 50-yard freestyle race with a time of 20.81 at the COMO Invitational. He also won the 100-yard freestyle with a time of 45.39 in that same event.

Theall said he expected to set the 50-yard freestyle record because he already did at a non-high school meet. His 100-yard mark meant more because it was his only chance to set it, as he is focusing on the 50-yard freestyle and 100-yard butterfly at the state championships.

He won the state title in the 100-yard butterfly with a time of 48.90. The Cape Central record was set by Brogan Davis in 2017 when he established it as the Class 1 record at 48.81 seconds. It was broken by Matthew Judkins of Chaminade in 2022 with a time of 48.76.

"I'm going for the 100y-fly record at state," Theall said. "I kind of wanted the team record, at least."

A mere fraction of a second separates Theall's personal best and both the school and state records. While Theall wasn't in high school when Davis set the team record, breaking that mark has been his main goal.

"I've been chasing the team record since it was set, which sounds like a lot, but I was just 10 when it was set," Theall said.

Cape Central swimming coach Dayna Powell, who has coached three boys state championship teams through 2016-18, and most recently a state title in the girls circuit last season, knows how much is needed to move that extra inch or carve out one more half-second.

"He continues to refine and develop," Powell said. "Swimming is just so technical with the resistance and everything, and he really refines his body position, his strokes, his starts, and it shows."

When he's not swimming competitively, Theall is in the gym strengthening himself even further for next season. Fitness has become a secondary passion for him.

"I consider it all just as one sport. I'm training in the gym for swimming," Theall said. "I do a lot of cleans and squats and then plyometrics, kind of explosive movements."

The increase in strength can be seen both above the water at the start and under the surface in between laps.

"Getting off the block faster and jumping higher, I can push off the walls, and I can go farther underwater and get more pull out of my stroke," Theall said.

Over the summer, Theall said his biggest improvement occurred underwater.

"Because we were training long course, I would do a lot of stroke work underwater, which really helps," Theall said. "It really translates to your races, go farther underwater and stuff like that."

With Theall leading the way, the Tigers have won eight of their last 11 events. Theall and Kent Sheridan were double winners during their 86-64 win against a short-handed Jackson team missing its best swimmer.

The Tigers return to their temporary home Oct. 21 for the Rec Relays, held at the SEMO Recreation Center.