By Matt Turer — @MattTurer (For OzarksSportsZone.com)
Less than half a second on the wrong side. That was the difference between Cabrini Johnson being all-state as a freshman and swimming in the consolation race in the 100-yard breaststroke.
It was a consolation race she won. And won with a time that would’ve been good enough for sixth in all of Missouri.
But it wasn’t good enough.
A year later, things have changed on the state level. MSHSAA split state swimming into two classes—Large and Small—making Johnson’s quest for all-state all but assured in 2018 with Logan-Rogersville falling in the small category and most of her 2017 rivals falling in the large.
The Rogersville record setter is already one of the best all-around swimmers to come through southwest Missouri. She’s qualified for state this weekend in St. Peter’s in five individual events and helped the Wildcats to state times in all three relays.
But just like last year’s results weren’t good enough, neither is just qualifying for state. Johnson wants to be on top.
“I have trained four hours a day most days a week and I have not let the goal of being first in small school state out of my mind,” Johnson, who only spends Sunday on dry land, said.
When the Small Class meet opens with preliminary qualifying heats on Thursday, Johnson will put that training regimen to the test when she’ll be eligible to swim in the 100-yard freestyle, 200 free, 500 free, 100 breaststroke and 200 individual medley as an individual at state.
Her season-bests in all those events could be enough for final-day competition, but it’s the breaststroke and the 500-yard freestyle that have the chance to be special.
Johnson’s season-best swims in the 100 breast (1:06.55) and the 500 free (5:11.56) would’ve been all-state times with combined classes last year. Now just competing against schools in Rogersville’s class, a state championship isn’t out of the question. But Johnson is a competitor, and part of her misses taking on the best.
“[The split in Classes] was a letdown because Nicole Williams from Rock Bridge is from a big school and she was my biggest competitor,” Johnson said of last year’s state champion in the breaststroke. “So I don’t get to race her anymore. But I know she’s out there training hard and I’m trying to train to be up there with her.”
Johnson’s drive to compete is special. Especially for a swimmer still not even halfway through high school.
“There’s been a huge difference between last year and this year in terms of her focus and determination,” Rogersville swim coach Wendy Shepard said. “There’s just a different look she has on her face now. And the look is: I want this. I’m going to get it and do whatever I have to do to make it happen.”
In the Southwest Missouri Swim Championships two weeks ago, that showed when Johnson broke an eight-year old meet record in the breaststroke with that 1:06.55 and won the 500-yard free by over 18 seconds. On top of that, she already holds Rogersville records in the 100 breaststroke and 200 IM.
“Her determination showed even before the season started. She was like, this is going to be my best year. I’m ready to do this. I’m ready to take it all on,” Shepard said.
Johnson started swimming when she was six. She won her first race when she was 11. Just like today, most of the girls that finished behind her were older.
“That was motivation to keep winning and keep going and prove that I can swim well at a young age,” Johnson said.
Today, Johnson isn’t just motivating herself. She’s pushing a Rogersville program that’s seeing its largest numbers in years and consistently finishing near the top in total points in the region’s toughest meets.
“The biggest thing for me to see in her this year that’s unique is just how much of a leader she is as a sophomore, and how much drive she has for herself,” Shepard said. “It really is rubbing off on the other teammates.”
Plus, the kid keeps it loose, and that never hurts. Like in this February 7 tweet:
Some sophmores are commiting to colleges and I haven’t even committed to waking up in the morning
— cabrini johnson (@johnson_cabrini) February 8, 2018
“My friends tell me that I’m a walking meme,” she said. “So I try to bring that into everything I do. If they’re down or a hard practice I try to make it fun, and I try to make everything worthwhile.”
