Photos courtesy of Olaf Hoerschelmann
The Bryant Hornets weren’t at full strength but they still earned a fourth-place finish in a field of 10 at the Benton January Invitational swimming and diving meet on Thursday.
Caivon Crosby finished second in the one-meter dive and Alex Ball earned a third-place finish in the 100-yard butterfly to lead the Hornets’ effort. The Hornets added third-place finishes in a pair of relays. In the 200-yard medley relay, Ball, Gavin Miller, Dylan Althen and Carson Edmonson finished third in a time of 1:55.21. In the 400-yard freestyle relay, the quartet of Hagan Austin, Cameron Loftis, Hayden Smith and Will Gordy turned in a 4:09.24 to take third.
Conway won the team title with 444.5 points. Cabot was second (394.5) with Catholic third (239) followed by Bryant (228) and Benton (203).
Crosby earned a score of 173.90 in the diving competition, finishing only behind Conway’s Johnathan Hopkins (191.05). Donte Baker was seventh with a score of 89.60.
Ball’s time of 1:03.69 earned third in the 100 butterfly. Jalen Dinstbier was 13th for the Hornets with a time of 1:27.63.
In the 200-yard freestyle relay, Bryant was sixth with Carson Edmonson, Ivan Bryant, Austin and Ball combining on a 1:45.10 clocking.
Miller took seventh in the 100-yard breast stroke with a time of 1:13.31. Smith was ninth (1:21.33) and Payton Schanks 13th (1:30.05).
Edmonson earned ninth-place points in the 200 individual medley with a time of 2:33.56. He was also 10th in the 500 free in 6:18.32. In the 200 IM, Zachary Milam was 13th in 2:44.59 and, in the 500, Smith was 11th in 6:29.12.
Four Bryant swimmers scored in the 100-yard backstroke, led by John Dellorto’s 1:13.87, good for 12th. John Peters was 14th in 1:15.71 with Tristan Hoerschelmann 16th in 1:18.25 and Chapman Edam 17th in 1:19.53.
Ball paced a Bryant contingent of three in the 50 free. His 25.80 clocking was good for 12th. Ivan Bryant was 14th in 26.40 with Austin 15th in 26.42.
Dellorto’s 2:25.12 in the 200 free took 14th with Will Gordy 17th (2:29.48) and Baker 18th (2:33.78).
In the 100 free, Ivan Bryant was 16th in 1:00.22 with Austin 17th in 1:00.34.
Bryant hosts a final regular-season meet on Feb. 1. District competition in Conway will be Feb. 6 (diving at UCA) and Feb. 8 (swimming at Hendrix).