Swimmer sets new McCook school record

HASTINGS -- McCook High School's swimming and diving teams competed at a triangular meet with host Hastings and North Platte Friday, Feb. 5.

Senior Whitney Korgan continued her outstanding season, as Korgan set a new school record in the girls 200-yard freestyle. Korgan had the fastest time in the event at Hastings with her mark of 2 minutes, 4.47 to best the old McCook school mark held by Tracy Flaska.

Korgan won the event by nearly three seconds. Whitney also finished first in the 100 butterfly with a time of 1:04.83, nearly four seconds ahead of North Platte's second-place finisher.

Both of Korgan's times were secondary state meet qualifying marks.

Other individual event winners for the Bison girls included Jayde Aufrecht in the 50 free and Madeline Shaddock in the 200 individual medley. Aufrecht's time was 26.10 seconds, over two seconds faster than her nearest competitor and a secondary state meet qualifying mark. Shaddock was first with a time of 2:34.58, over three seconds ahead of her nearest competitor.

The McCook girls had top times in two relay events at the Hastings meet.

The Bison girls were first in the 200 freestyle relay with a time of 1:48.99, about a second off an automatic state qualifying time. The McCook 200 freestyle quartet included Aufrecht, Shaddock, Katie Latta and Korgan.

The McCook 400 freestyle relay team of Aufrecht, Shaddock, Sydnie Stamm and Korgan also had the fastest time of the day in the girls division at 4:00.51. That mark was less than a second off an automatic state qualifying time.

Jorday May of McCook was third in the 100 backstroke at 1:16.19. Danielle Blume had the third-fastest time in the 100 breast stroke at 1:29.41 and the fourth-fastest mark in the 200 IM at 2:53.89.Katie Latta had a pair of fourth-place efforts for the Bison girls in the 200 free (2:23.18) and the 50 free (29.46 seconds). Sydnie Stamm also had the fourth-best time in the 100 free at 1:02.74.

The McCook girls also was third in the 200 medley relay, with the team of May, Shaddock, Stamm and Aufrecht recording a time of 2:09.78.

The McCook divers had strong efforts on the one-meter board. The Bison boys finished 1-2, led by Austin Molcyk in first place with a score of 127.20 points on six dives. Josh Stevens was second at 120.55.

The Bison girls also fared well in diving, with Michelle Tinglum placing third at 117.35, and Amanda Fuchuck fifth at 86.64.

Top individual effort for the McCook boys in the swim events came from Michael Sides, who finished third in the 50 free at 28.40 and fourth in the 100 free at 1:09.11.

The Bison boys 200 freestyle relay also had the second-best time of the meet. The foursome of Josh Detty, Lucas Jumps, Luke Mabile and Sides was timed in 2 minutes, .58 seconds.

Conference meet this weekend

The McCook swimming and diving teams are gearing up for the final weeks of the season. The Bison squads have a final chance to reach state qualifying marks at the Greater Nebraska Athletic Conference meet at Hastings next Friday and Saturday. The McCook squads will compete with the host Tigers plus Lexington, North Platte, Scottsbluff, Kearney, Columbus and Norfolk for conference honors.

The one-meter diving event will be held Friday, Feb. 12, starting at 3 p.m. The GNAC swimming events will commence Saturday, Feb. 13, at 11 a.m.

The Nebraska State High School Swimming and Diving Championships are scheduled Feb. 25-27 at the Bob Devaney Sports Center in Lincoln.