Devin Hester
Lady Hornets win eight events on the way to District crown
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).
The Bryant Lady Hornets finished first in eight of the 11 swim events and added second-place finishes in two of those and two others as they amassed 517 points to ease to a District championship at the Bishop Park Aquatic Center on Friday.
Senior Lindsey Butler won two individual events and contributed to two winning relays. In addition, Ploy Freebairn, Katie Higgs, Taylor Wilson and Libby Thompson won individual events.
Magnolia (235 points) was a distant second in the 11-team competition, held in advance of the State meet on Feb. 27-28 at UALR. Benton was third at 226.
Butler, an all-State swimmer in 2012 and 2013, was the Wendy’s High School Player of the Year in swimming last year. She holds the overall state record in the 100-yard backstroke (58.23). She won Friday with a 1:02.52 clocking. She also won the 100-yard freestyle in 54.77.
Paris Works
In the 200 medley relay, Butler teamed up with Thompson, Freebairn and her younger sister, Jessica Butler, on a winning effort in 1:58.48. In the 400 freestyle relay, Higgs joined Freebairn and the Butler sisters on a winning time of 3:57.56.
Thompson won the 100-yard breast stroke with a time of 1:15.74. She was also sixth in the 50 free in 27.85 and contributed a leg to the second-place 200 free relay. With Wilson, Reagan Smith and Higgs, their 1:52.73 trailed only El Dorado’s 1:49.55.
Freebairn won the 200 free in 2:08.66. She was third behind Jessica Butler in the 100 butterfly. Freebairn turned in a 1:07.53. Jessica Butler’s 1:05.31 was second to El Dorado’s Isabella Gati who finished in 58.37.
Higgs and Smith finished 1-2 in the 200 individual medley, finishing in 2:30.14 and 2:50.40, respectively. Higgs was also fourth in the backstroke with a time of 1:07.58.
Wilson’s win came in the 500 free as she clocked in at 6:02.15. She was also eighth in the 100 backstroke (1:15.07).
Ellie Hooten
Jessica Butler finished second in the 100 breast at 1:18.07. Tiffany Robinson was eighth (1:32.74) and Paris Works ninth (1:34.05).
Helen Woodham contributed a fourth in the 200 IM (2:54.81) and a fifth in the 500 free (6:53.88).
In the 100 butterfly, Robinson was sixth in 1:18.08 with Erin Vaughn seventh in 1:21.56. Hester was sixth in the 500 free (6:55.15) and seventh in the 200 free (2:29.39).
Lauren Nalley added sixth-place points in the 200 IM, finishing in 3:16.56. Hammers took seventh in the 500 free with a time of 6:55.21 while Smith took second in the 100 free (1:05.56) with Julianna Shelton 14th (1:08.84) and Jordan Tarvin 15th (1:09.83).
Ellie Hooten was ninth in the 200 free (2:34.56) and 12th in the 100 back (1:23.85). Taylor Vaughn was 10th in the 200 free (2:43.86).
In the 50 free, Jordan Tarvin took 10th (30.15) with Shelton 11th (30.44) and Skylar Barber 15th in 32.63.
Tiffany Robinson
Lindsey Butler
Paris Works and Jamie Hammers cheer on a teammate.
