The team had a program-best 70 swimmers qualify for this year’s finals, which took place at Bonner Springs Aquatic Park. Many Tongie swimmers got to showcase their talents several times at the meet, as 34 swimmers qualified in four events.

“Overall, we had a fantastic turnout of people that qualified,” coach Janet Falk said. “In many events, we had five or six kids qualify. I think that’s a definite reflection of the kids’ performance and how well they competed.”

Twelve male and female swimmers qualified for each event in their respective age groups in Monday and Tuesday’s preliminaries, which took place at the same venue.

Tongie finished third in this year’s finals with 405 total points, coming in behind Piper (617) and Leavenworth (431) and ahead of host team Bonner Springs (188). Piper grabbed the lead early in the meet and gradually pulled away from the field for the dominating win.

The Tidal Waves are the only team in the league without the ability to swim in the offseason, which, according to Falk, is often reflected in the team scores.

“Piper just has a lot of year-round swimmer on their team, so it’s hard for our kids to compete when they don’t have the indoor facilities,” she said. “I think that was a huge reason why Piper blew us out of the water, but all in all, I think the kids did a phenomenal job in their events.”

In total, Tongie swimmers combined for 10 individual championships, including three apiece by Caden Hellman (10-and-under) and Mikayla Rhoads (8-and-under). David Falk (18-and-under) added two titles and Luke Kesinger (6-and-under) and Luke Falk (14-and-under) rounded out the team’s individual first-place finishes with one title each. The Tidal Waves also accounted for two relay titles.

Falk said she’ll try to bring the EKSL finals back to Tonganoxie for the 2014 season. The Tidal Waves hosted last year’s championships at Tonganoxie Water Park.

Thursday’s meet capped off a season in which Tongie fielded 108 swimmers — its largest enrollment in the program’s five-year history. Falk, who has coached the team since its inception in 2009, didn’t rule out the possibility of even more growth after seeing the roster increase by 23 this year.

“We are the smallest community in the league, but there is a huge response in the community,” she said. “I think it’s a great thing to help the kids when they’re out and about in the water. It makes them safer and it’s a great, lifelong sport.”

The team will have a postseason awards ceremony on Thursday, where Falk will recognize each swimmer for their progress and individual accomplishments.

Overall team scores

1. Piper, 617; 2. Leavenworth, 431; 3. Tongie, 405; 4. Bonner Springs, 188.

Tongie individual results

6 and under

Silas Kirchoff, Ellie Suber, Stella Bradley and Luke Kesinger: second in freestyle relay; Brette Hayden, Edyn Jackson, Isabel Ferguson and Lauren Dunn: third in freestyle relay; Luke Kesinger: first in freestyle, second in backstroke; Silas Kirchoff: fourth in freestyle, fifth in backstroke; Terrick Trobough: second in freestyle; Stella Bradley: fourth in backstroke, fifth in freestyle; Brette Hayden: third in freestyle, fifth in backstroke; Edyn Jackson: sixth in backstroke; Ellie Suber: third in backstroke, fourth in freestyle.

8 and under

Garrett Edwards, Andy Scribner, Joseph Duvall and Cody Kesinger: third in freestyle relay; Garrett Edwards, Gavin Shupe, Cody Kesinger and Andy Scribner: second in medley relay; Laikyn Bennett, Isabella Barker, Abby Vick and Lilly Pruitt: second in freestyle relay; Chloe Ferguson, Malison Fisher, Liberty Seitter and Katelyn Dunn: third in freestyle relay; Lilly Pruitt, Macy Geiger, Mikayla Rhoads and Liberty Seitter: second in medley relay; Madelyn Smith, Marie Smith, Ellie Jackson and Katelyn Dunn: third in medley relay; Cody Kesinger: fourth in freestyle, fourth in individual medley, sixth in butterfly, sixth in breaststroke; Dalton Regehr: second in individual medley, fourth in butterfly, sixth in backstroke; Gavin Shupe: third in breaststroke; Isabelle Barker: sixth in breaststroke; Laikyn Bennett: fifth in individual medley; Macy Geiger: fourth in backstroke, fourth in breaststroke, fourth in individual medley, sixth in butterfly; Ellie Jackson: third in freestyle, third in butterfly, third in backstroke, third in individual medley, fourth in breaststroke; Mikayla Rhoads: first in freestyle, first in butterfly, first in individual medley, third in breaststroke.

10 and under

Gage Hayden, Max Plaschka, Hunter Calovich and Evan Shupe: first in freestyle relay; Ben Suber, Garrett Splichal, Caden Hellman and Evan Shupe: second in medley relay; Raena Somolik, Kirstin Stemmons, Theona Vaughn and Emma Jackson: second in freestyle relay; Renna Folsom, Emma Jackson, Kirstin Stemmons and Raena Somolik: third in medley relay; Hunter Calovich: fourth in butterfly, sixth in individual medley; Gage Hayden: third in backstroke, third in individual medley, sixth in butterfly; Caden Hellman: first in butterfly, first in breaststroke, first in individual medley, third in freestyle; Max Plaschka: fifth in backstroke, sixth in freestyle; Ben Suber: fifth in butterfly; Renna Folsom: second in backstroke; Emma Jackson: fourth in freestyle; Raena Somolik: sixth in freestyle; Kirstin Stemmons: fifth in backstroke, sixth in butterfly; Theona Vaughn: fourth in backstroke, sixth in breaststroke.

12 and under

Alex Falk, Braxton Shupe, Aaron Plaschka and Garrett Eason: third in freestyle relay; Phillip Vaughn, Scotty Vick, Garrett Eason and Aaron Plaschka: third in medley relay; Bailey Bradley, Elaina Duncan, Brooke McNorton and Meron Hayden: third in freestyle relay; Emmie Derzinski, Bailey Bradley, Elaina Duncan and Marisa Kearns: third in medley relay; Garrett Eason: third in individual medley, fifth in butterfly, sixth in breaststroke; Alex Falk: third in butterfly, fourth in backstroke; Braxton Shupe: fifth in individual medley, sixth in freestyle; Marisa Kearns: second in freestyle, second in butterfly, second in backstroke, fifth in individual medley.

14 and under

Holden DeGraff, Patterson Starcher, Blake McNorton and Luke Falk: first in freestyle relay; Jake Derzinski, Jon Derzinski, Joe Derzinski and Rylan Hellman: third in freestyle relay; Joe Derzinski, Holden DeGraff, Luke Falk and Patterson Starcher: third in medley relay; Samantha Koch, Macie Dawson, Camryn Splichal and Isabella Behm: fourth in freestyle relay, fourth in medley relay; Holden DeGraff: fourth in breaststroke, sixth in individual medley; Jake Derzinski: fifth in backstroke; Jon Derzinski: sixth in backstroke; Luke Falk: first in backstroke, second in freestyle, second in butterfly, second in individual medley; Rylan Hellman: sixth in breaststroke; Blake McNorton: fifth in breaststroke, sixth in butterfly.

18 and under

Seth Ahart, Lauryn Splichal, Sidney Grinter and Cody Koch: third in freestyle relay; Andrew Behm, Sidney Grinter, David Falk and Lauryn Splichal: third in medley relay; Seth Ahart: third in breaststroke, fourth in individual medley, fifth in freestyle, fifth in butterfly; David Falk: first in butterfly, first in breaststroke, second in freestyle, second in backstroke; Sidney Grinter: third in breaststroke.