Bison swimmers start season at Hastings

HASTINGS, Neb. -- The McCook high school swimming and diving season started Saturday with an invitational at the Hastings YMCA. The Bison girls took fourth place, while the boys team finished seventh.

"We had an awesome meet on Saturday with 2 relays with secondary times," said head coach Lori Jumps. "Shayne Coleman also got 2 secondary times for state. We placed higher than any meet we have had."

In the girls' competition, McCook had a first-place performance in the 200 medley relay. The relay team of Rebecca Tietz, Mollie Tate, Shayne Coleman and Laurel Schmidt won with a time of 2:03.71, which was enough to edge out Hastings High's time of 2:03.84.

Coleman also finished runner-up in the 50 free (time of 25.81), 100 free (58.70) and the 200 free relay (1:50.03). Her 200 free relay team also had Schimdt, Elizabeth Barenberg and Candace Coleman.

As a team, the Lady Bison finished with 186 points for fourth place. Norfolk High took the championship with 254 points, while Hastings High (240) and Scottsbluff (225) rounded out the top three.

In the boys' division, the Bison finished with 68 points for seventh. Norfolk took the title with 316 points, while Kearney High (226) and Scottsbluff (210) also finished top three.

Peyton O'Toole had the best performance with a fifth-place finish in the one-meter with 130.35 points. Isaac Hegwood took seventh place in the 50 free (time of 25.06) and ninth in the 100 free (58.00).

Other top-ten Bison finishers were Erik Graff in the 100 breast (ninth place, time of 1:20.54), Spencer Reiners in the one meter (ninth, 119.80 points) and the 200 free relay team that took seventh. The relay team consisted of Timothy Renner, Anthony Lucero, Graff and Hegwood.

The Bison teams will have their home invite this Friday, Dec. 9, at the Ed Thomas YMCA.