Bryant girls capture team title at Benton Invitational
EDITOR’S NOTE: Because the look back at each day in Bryant athletic history has been so favorably received during the time when there was no sports during the COVID-19 shutdown, BryantDaily.com will continueposting past stories of Bryant athletics either posted on BryantDaily.com (from 2009 to the present) or published in the Bryant Times (from 1998 to 2008).
Photos courtesy of Jamie Hester
Libby Thompson (Photo courtesy of Jamie Hester)
The Bryant Lady Hornets won six events and finished second in four as they captured the team title at the Benton Invitational swimming and diving meet at the Bishop Park Aquatic Center on Thursday.
The Lady Hornets amassed 487 points to leave the rest of the 13-team field in their wake. Magnolia was second at 217, followed by Hot Springs Lakeside (207), Conway (179) and El Dorado (161).
The team is set for its final regular-season meet at UALR this Saturday. They’ll host the South District meet at Bishop Park on Friday, Feb. 13.
Jessica Butler, Lindsey Butler, Katie Higgs and Taylor Wilson each had individual wins. The Lady Hornets also won two of the three relays. They were second in the third. Libby Thompson, Lindsey Butler and Higgs each garnered second-place finishes.
In the 200 yard medley relay, Lindsey Butler, Thompson, Jessica Butler and Ploy Freebairn combined on a 2:00.64 to take first. In the 200 freestyle relay, Higgs joined the Butler sisters and Freebairn on a winning time of 1:47.45.
Jessica Butler won the 200 free and the 100 butterfly. In the former, she turned in a 2:10.83. In the latter, her 1:05.44 led a contingent of Lady Hornets that took the top four spots. Higgs was second in 1:06.99 with Tiffany Robinson third in 1:17.90 and Erin Vaughn fourth in 1:27.15.
In the 200 free, Devin Hester was seventh (2:39.89), Ellie Hooten eighth (2:42.28) and Taylor Vaughn 11th (2:52.32) to add to the Lady Hornets point total.
Wilson won the 500 free with a 6:01.35 clocking. Helen Woodham was fifth in 7:08.76, Hester sixth in 7:10.67 and Taylor Vaughn seventh in 7:43.33.
Lindsey Butler captured the 100 yard backstroke, turning in a 1:03.11. Higgs was third in 1:08.28 followed by Wilson (seventh, 1:14.77) and Hooten (11th, 1:26.45).
Lindsey Butler’s second came in the 100 free. Her 56.06 was topped by Isabbella Gati of El Dorado who turned in a 54.19. Reagan Smith picked up 15th-place points with a 1:07.26.
Thompson’s 1:18.40 was second in the 100 yard breast stroke. Freebairn was fifth in 1:23.69 with Hammers taking 10th (1:29.80) and Robinson 11th (1:33.10).
In the 400 freestyle relay, Thompson, Wilson, Smith and Higgs combined on a 4:22.38 to take second. Thompson also garnered fifth in the 50 free (28.06) with Smith eighth in 29.21, Jordan Tarvin 11th in 30.67 and Hammers 16th in 31.69.
The Lady Hornets had four more score in the 200 individual medley led by Julianna Shelton who’s 2:57.72 earned fifth place. Woodham was sixth (3:01.32), Erin Vaughn seventh (3:06.19) and Lauren Nalley ninth (3:13.26).
Julianna Shelton (Photo courtesy of Jamie Hester)
