Photos courtesy of Angela Rhode
Kalina Weaver
Competing for the second time this week, the Bryant Lady Hornets swim and dive team wrapped up its pre-Christmas schedule with a meet co-hosted by the Benton Lady Panthers at the Bishop Park Aquatic Center on Thursday. But, like the Conway December meet on Tuesday, the Conway Lady Cats took top team honors with 502 points to Bryant’s 415. Benton was third with 240 points followed by Pulaski Academy (151), Magnolia (133), Lonoke (122), Little Rock Christian (84), Morrilton Sacred Heart (37), Bauxite (32) and Carlisle (24).
The Lady Hornets earned first-place finishes in two events. In the 200-yard freestyle relay, the quartet of Lara Kockaya, Taylor Wilson, Kayla Vaughan and Jessica Butler turned in a 1:49.68 to edge Conway’s team, which finished in 1:51.26.
Butler and Erin Vaughn went 1-2 in the 100-yard butterfly. Butler’s winning time was 1:04.81 with Vaughn touching in 1:14.11.
Bryant had four swimmers score in the 100-yard freestyle, led by Kockaya who’s 59.82 clocking was second only to the 58.34 turned in by Pulaski Academy’s Katie Jacoby. Kayla Vaughan was sixth in 1:05.06 followed by Hannah Tennison who was seventh in 1:05.54 and Leela Hoerschelmann who took ninth in 1:08.37.
Helen Woodham
The Lady Hornets also got second-place points from Paris Works in the one-meter dive with a score of 112.05. Plus, the 400 freestyle relay team of Erin Vaughn, Ellie Hooten, Hoerschelmann and Wilson whose 4:33.24 was only bested by Benton’s 4:09.92.
In the 200 medley relay, Bryant took third with Hoerschelmann, Kockaya, Butler and Vaughan combining on a 2:09.11.
Butler was third in the 50 free at 26.14. Erin Vaughn was 11th (30.40) and Jamie Hammers 14th (31.15). In addition, Wilson was third in the 200 free, touching in 2:18.48. Elizabeth Milam finished ninth in 2:50.50 and Taylor Vaughn was 10th in 2:52.25.
Wilson was fourth in the 500 free, clocking in at 6:04.92. Helen Woodham finished sixth (6:59.23), Works 10th (7:57.59) and Taylor Vaughn 11th (8:14.98).
In the 100-yard breaststroke, Kalina Weaver turned in a 1:23.71 to take fourth. Hammers’ 1:29.61 was good for sixth with Hoerschelmann ninth in 1:34.71 and Milam 14th in 1:35.76.
The Lady Hornets also had four score in the 200 free, lead by Vaughan whose 2:48.52 was good for sixth. Tennison was on her heels, taking seventh in 2:48.68. Woodham’s 2:55.88 was good for ninth and Hooten’s 3:01.95 garnered 11th-place points.
Kockaya finished sixth in the 100 backstroke with a time of 1:15.64. Hailey Addison was 10th (1:23.35) and Hooten 11th (1:23.70).
The next meet that Bryant will compete in is the Conway Invitational on Jan. 20. That’ll be the final tune-up before the 7A-6A-Central District meet at Hendrix College in Conway on Feb. 9, unless another meet is added to the schedule. The State championship meet will be Feb. 25 at Bentonville.
