By Matt Turer — mturer@ky3.com
@MattTurer
Springfield, Mo. — With the state meet fast approaching, Saturday’s Springfield Invitational swim meet saw a focus placed on state qualifying times. It didn’t take long for those cuts to begin to drop, either.
Relay teams from Ozark (1:54.79), Nevada (1:57.40) and Rogersville (1:57.95) all qualified for state in the meet-opening 200 medley relay.
Lafayette took first overall, followed by Hickman, Rock Bridge, Glendale and Kickapoo. (Full standings below story). Lafayette’s 341 points set a meet record.
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“This meet helps to get that outside competition in,” Glendale head coach Steve Boyce said. “We see each other so much in this little area that it’s real eye-opening to see those other schools. It’s good for us to see that level of competition and what those teams are doing.”
Nevada swim coach Samantha Short’s arms flailed as she ran to celebrate with her 200 medley relay team of Makayla Haner, Peyton Claypool, Carlie McCaffree and Megan Hold after their state-qualifying time flashed up on the board in the John H. Foster Natatorium.
“We were within two seconds of making the cut and we never could quite get over that hump,” Short said. “I don’t know if it’s thinking we could do it, but for it to finally fall was pretty exciting. I think the energy of the meet and the crowd, I think they felt it.”
The Ozark team of Kiah Seymour, Chloe Nelson, Grace Scheer and Katie Vorhies smashed their seed time of 2:00.21.
For the Rogersville relay team of Hope Strausbaugh, Cabrini Johnson, Hailey Souter and Elise Evans, today’s state cut was a long-time coming.
“It’s been a lot of hard work and there’s a chemistry between all of them,” Rogersville head coach Wendy Shepard said. “They had the mindset right in the beginning that this is what we want to do this year. It was a hope and a wish that came true today.”
Lafayette’s Franceska Petrosino won the 200-yard freestyle (1:56.90), followed by Hickman’s Lena Coon (1:57.54) and Rock Bridge’s Bettie Logan (2:01.65).
Kickapoo’s Krystal Caylor won the 200-yard IM, posting a season-best 2:10.24. Nixa’s Olivia Stoneman finished fifth (2:18.50) and came within .41 seconds of the state cut despite having no seed time in the event.
In the 50-yard freestyle, Summit Prep/NCA junior Molly Moore had a chance to set a new pool and meet record, coming in with a seed time of 23.59. That seed time put her well under the pool record of 23.96, set in 1998, and the meet record of 24.31, set by Kickapoo’s Greta Hildebrandt in 1984. Moore took first in the event (24.45), but fell short of both records.
Lafayette’s Delaney Thomas (who holds the state record in the 400-yard freestyle) finished second (24.95) in the 50 free. Hickman’s Brittany Wen came in third (25.03).
Ozark’s Katie Vorhies (25.30) and Grace Scheer both posted state-qualifying times in the 50 free.
Poplar Bluff’s Taylor Norwood (58.63) took the 100-yard butterfly, followed by Lafayette’s Franceska Petrosino (59.02) and Poplar Bluff’s Raegan McAtee (1:01.10).
Ozark’s Chloe Nelson put up a state qualifying time in the 100 fly with a 1:01.93.
“It’s a relief. It feels good,” Nelson said.
The 100-yard freestyle was won by Lafayette’s Thomas (53.75). Summit Prep’s Moore took second (53.82) and Kickapoo’s Caylor third (53.97). The Chiefs got a second swimmer on the podium in Kayla Herron, finishing sixth (55.83).
One of the meet’s biggest surprise performances came from Glendale’s Cali Hackworth. Hackworth was in the fifth of six heats in the event yet took first by nearly five full seconds with a new state-qualifying time of 5:22.46. Rock Bridge’s Elinor Stanley took second (5:27.31). Summit Prep/NCA’s Claire McCune made the podium, finishing fifth (5:30.39).
Boyce didn’t hold back any excitement after the meet when asked about Hackworth’s performance.
“Holy cow! Oh man. The crazy thing is, she’s been hovering just a little bit outside of that state cut all season long. She almost made it the first meet of the season. She’s done a great job training and just hadn’t had that breakthrough day,” Boyce said.
“She had a great day yesterday, and then today she just exploded. She just looked like, it was easy today. That was unbelievable.”
Summit Prep/NCA grabbed second in the 200-yard freestyle relay (1:44.07). Lafayette won the event (1:41.58). Springfield Central’s team of Emma Haugland-Mackey, Sydney Weber, Katie Lu and Hailey Richards hit a state-qualifying time in the event.
In the 100-yard backstroke, Monett’s Kelli Sangston beat her seed time by nearly 2.5 seconds, finishing second and qualifying for state with a 1:00.83.
“I feel pretty great right now,” Sangston said. “This is such a huge opportunity for me. I didn’t think I could beat it by that much. I didn’t think I could drop that much time.”
But she did. Sangston was mobbed by teammates after her race, none of whom could contain their excitement.
“[Seeing Sangston get that time is] very rewarding,” Monett head coach Dan Janssen said. “You work hard all year and you always wonder if you’re pushing them the right way or teaching them the right thing when they’re struggling to make that time, and it’s just nice to see them get over the hump.
“She got a really great race, stuck it out like a champ and brought it home. We’re just happy to get that qualifying time so we can focus on state.”
Poplar Bluff’s Taylor Norwood took first in the 100 backstroke (59.89). Lafayette’s Lillian Van Biljon was third (1:01.46). Glendale’s Jessi Hicks finished fourth, qualifying for state with a 1:02.50. Fellow Falcon Maddie Duncan also made the podium, finishing fifth (1:02.84)
“She’s just been knocking that down steadily,” Boyce said of Hicks. “She put on the fast suit today and really got fired up. We’ve been talking about arm speed, arm speed , arm speed, and she made that go today like it was easy. It was real fun to watch.”
Rogersville freshman Cabrini Johnson had another great performance in the 100-yard breaststroke, taking first with a time of 1:08.21. Hickman’s Brittany Wen finished second (1:10.36) and Glendale’s Danielle Robinson third (1:11.68). Ozark’s Nelson finished fourth (1:12.23). Robinson qualified for state with her third-place time.
“She loves that race and she just got fired up and got it done today,” Boyce said of Robinson. “That was beautiful.”
Robinson’s dad could be seen cheering on his daughter throughout the race and, yes, she could hear every word.
“I’m feeling great,” Robinson said. “I’m really happy. My dad was proud of me. I’m always listening to him [in the pool].”
Lafayette set a new meet record in the 400-yard freestyle relay (3:38.42). Rock Bridge came in second in the day’s final event (3:42.31) followed by Hickman (3:42.45).
The Kickapoo 400 freestyle relay team of Charli Cole, Caylor, Alison Pool, and Herron finished fourth (3:46.39), qualifying for state in the process.
“What’s fun is, at the end of the meet we’re here late and everyone here is still going crazy for the next-to-last and last event,” Boyce said. “They still, as teammates, cheered each other on. It was awesome.”
FINAL RESULTS:
Lafayette 341, Hickman 279.5, Rock Bridge 266, Glendale 254, Kickapoo 162, Poplar Bluff 160, Summit Prep/NCA 153, Ozark 121, Springfield Central 97.5, Cape Central 88, Rogersville 85, Notre Dame de Sion 80, Nevada 52, Monett 49, Nixa 45, Parkview 27, Joplin 21, Hillcrest 16, Battle 13, Bolivar 6, MV-BT/Liberty 4, Springfield Catholic 4
