BHS swim team opens season with stellar performance
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ARKADELPHIA — The Bryant Lady Hornets won eight events and the Hornets won six as each took top honors at their season-opening Ouachita Baptist University Invitational swim meet on Saturday.
Two-time all-State swimmer Lindsey Butler won two individual races while Ploy Freebairn added two first-place finished to lead the girls, who also won all three relays.
For the boys, Ray Weldon won two individual races while the relay teams won twice and finish second in a third event.
Bryant is scheduled to host a meet at Bishop Park on Thursday, Nov. 14.
Butler won her specialty, the 100 yard backstroke with a time of 1:02.70. She also captured the 50 freestyle in 25.85. Freebairn took top honors in the 500 free (5:55.61) and the 200 individual medley (2:32.12).
The duo combined with Libby Thompson and Katie Higgs to win the 200 medley relay (2:03.61). Along with Jacey Bittle, Higgs, Freebairn and Butler won the 200 free (1:52.08).
In the 400 free relay, Bittle, Rachel Vos, Julianna Shelton and Kalee Jackson won in 4:26.14.
Jackson provided the other first-place finish, winning the 100 free in 1:01.63. Also in that race, Shawn Peairson finished third (1:11.31), Ellie Hooten fourth (1:14.23) and Paris Works fifth (1:22.88).
Scoring with Butler in the 100 back were Higgs (third in 1:08.07), Lauren Wood (sixth, 1:20.23) and Deidre Reeves (10th, 1:47.56). In the 50 free, Jackson was third (28.31) followed by Thompson (fourth, 29.66) and Shelton (fifth, 31.01).
Along with Freebairn in the 500 free, Vos was second in 6:05.67 with Devin Hester sixth (7:00.95) and Jordan Tarvin seventh (7:15.63). Behind Freebairn in the 200 IM, Bittle was fifth (2:48.33), Jamie Hammers seventh (3:00.95) and Elizabeth Milam ninth (3:23.12).
Higgs was second in the 100 butterfly at 1:07.84 and Bittle took second in the 100 breast stroke at 1:22.44.
Thompson finished right behind Bittle in third with a time of 1:26.77. Hammers was seventh (1:31.48) and Tiffany Robinson ninth (1:36.39). It was Robinson that was right behind Higgs in the 100 fly, turning in a 1:22.81 clocking to finish fourth. Shelton was fifth (1:26.39) and Reeves sixth (2:14.20).
In the 200 free, Vos was third in 2:17.14 with Hester sixth in 2:36.06 and Tarvin seventh in 2:39.57.
The Lady Hornets had multiple entries in the relays. In the 200 medley, Lauren Wood, Robinson, Hester and Tarvin finished fifth in 2:27.10 while in the 200 free relay, the team of Robinson, Thompson, Wood and Jackson was third (2:02.26). In addition, Hammers, Hooten, Milam and Shelton finished sixth in 2:11.69 while Shawn Peairson, Works, Reeves and Tarvin combined on a 2:22.09 to take seventh.
For the Hornets, Weldon won the 200 free in 2:02.47. Jim Dellorto was fifth in 2:26.81. Weldon also won the 100 back in 1:03.46 with Scott Mead third in 1:18.96.
Andrew Ball won the 200 IM in 2:36.45 while Fonzee Bittle turned in the only sub-minute time to win the 100 free at 58.54. Ryan West was fifth in the 100 with a time of 1:05.65.
Dellorto was second in the 100 fly (1:08.49) with Trace Rhode second in the 500 free (6:02.31). Rhode also finished third in the 100 breast (1:18.61) with Ball fourth (1:19.40).
In the relays, the team of Weldon, Rhode, Dellorto and Ball took top honors in the 200 medley with a time of 1:55.31. In the 400 free, Justin Combs, Cody Tarvin, Fonzee Bittle and West paced the field in 4:29.44.
The quartet of Rhode, Dellorto, Ball and Weldon was second in the 200 free with a time of 1:45.23.
The Hornets won the team title with 310 points. Magnolia was a close second at 303 followed by Benton (255), El Dorado (167), Lafayette County (29) and Arkansas Baptist (28).
The Lady Hornets finished with 577 points to 269 for second-place El Dorado. Benton was third (202) followed by Magnolia (186), Carlisle (51) and Arkansas Baptist (36).
