On Thursday, Sept. 4, the Plant swim team put up a battle against Jefferson and Blake High School in a district meet at Bobby Hicks Pool, showing the skill and determination of these students. The meet brought together swimmers from across the district, as the athletes pushed themselves to new records while also contributing to the overall team effort.
The meet started with the medley relays, which were tough, but Plant powered through. The Plant relay team- Sophomore Grace Hall, Freshman Lyla Whitebread, Senior Megan Hageman and Senior Nicole Lauder-went out strong and fast, registering a time of 1:57.24 to place first.
Some recognizable performances were in the freestyle events, where, for the girls, Hall posted a time of 2:03.61 in the 200-yard freestyle. And for the boys, Mason Haynes, a junior, posted a time of 2:21.72 in the same event, both coming in first place. Their effort added essential points to the team’s tally and acted as proof of the hours spent practicing before the meet.
In the 100-yard backstroke, Reese McCambridge, (12) impressed the crowd with her long strokes and a strong finish, winning first place in a tough competition. In the breaststroke, another close race was held, with Liana Jimenez (9), Addison Copley (11), and Cecelia Lenz (9) taking first, second, and third place.
The butterfly, which is typically considered one of the most challenging events, provided excitement as Diogo Florentino-Mattos (12) fought hard on the last lap, finishing with nine seconds above second place. His effort showed that every race counted, and he held the energy high.
One of the best moments of the meet was at the end of the final relay, the 400-yard freestyle relay. With all the team members at the pool’s edge, the Plant swimmers gave their best in the last event. The relay came to an easy finish, and the Plant girls’ teams came in first, second and third place, while the boys’ team scored first and second place. The audience was loud with applause, displaying a nice end to the meet.
Coaches and teammates encouraged each swimmer consistently, regardless of whether or not they were racing for first place or simply attempting to hit a new personal best. The match proved how much the team had progressed since the beginning of the season, both in terms of skill and confidence. Ella Reeves, a junior, said “In the beginning of the season, we were not united as a team and the meets were not as fun because we didn’t work together, but now we all cheer each other on and i genuinely think it makes us all go faster and be the best swimmer that we can”.
Once final scores were tallied, Plant secured a dominating win, but the larger victory was the progress and sportsmanship displayed throughout the evening. The Plant swim team will return to the pool this week, as they continue to dominate this swim season. With the intensity and results from this meet, they enter the next competition ready to go with grand expectations.