On Friday, February 10, Leesville’s swim team finished their successful season with a second place overall win for the women’s team and a 32 place finish for the men’s.
From the start of the season, the women’s team proved to be a powerhouse. The women went undefeated in the regular season and won both the Cap-8 championship and Regionals. They hoped to pull out another win for the state title.
“We have all been anxiously waiting for states this year because this is the strongest Leesville swimming has ever been. Last year we got fourth, but this year we hoped to do better,” said Jessie Frank, sophomore and asset to the 2017 state team.
Due to the diving scores from Friday, Leesville women entered states 53 points behind their main competitor, Hough High. “Going into the meet we knew we would have to make up the points that [Hough] gained from diving,” said Frank.
At a championship meet, the top 16 school team from prelims qualify for a second swim at finals competing for first in the state. The winner is determined by the overall score from both the swim and dive teams at the school.
The team dominated the first two relays. Grace Countie, junior, broke her own state record in the 50 freestyle and anchored both relays securing the win for Leesville. With the scores from relays and individual events tallied, the team was tailing only two points behind Hough.
Like any intense game, the meet came down to the final events. Although the women beat Hough in swimming, they couldn’t make up the lost points from the dominate Hough diving team.
“Toward the end of the meet we all knew it would be close. But unfortunately, we started off too far behind Hough because they have a very strong dive team,” said Abby Toburen, senior and captain of the women’s team.
“Although we scored more points in swimming and still lost, we were all so proud of our season. Second in the state is the highest in school history, so that’s not something we are upset about,” said Toburen.
For this very reason, the NCHSAA is thinking of separating swimming and diving in the upcoming years. Go Leesville swimming!
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