Cougars swimmers win 3rd straight MSC title
By Brandon Miniard, Sports Writer, [email protected]
A week after the North Harrison girls’ swim team won their third consecutive Mid-Southern Conference title, the boys’ team took its turn Thursday to defend their conference crown at Charlestown Middle School.
Having won the past two MSC titles, the Cougars were determined to give the Cougars’ swim program its second three-peat in the month of January. While the Cougars started out somewhat slowly, their numbers throughout all 11 events, including winning four of the final five, gave the Cougars the conference hat trick as they won the meet with a combined 345 points.
The Cougars had to settle for runner-up finishes in the first two events, starting when the team of Carson Caffee, Gavin Davis, Matthew Moorman and Thomas Knight finished behind the host Pirates in the 200-yard medley relay with a time of 2:13.18. Lance Marinc, Moorman and Kody Fulk followed by finishing second (2:09.36), third (2:23.69) and fourth (2:29.96), respectively.
Marinc had a strong night in the pool individually as he also finished runner-up in the 100-yard butterfly in 1:03.48, while Elliot Pappano finished third in the event in 1:04.04, as well as finishing runner-up in the 100-yard breaststroke in 1:15.87. Lucas Miller had a decent night as well when he finished third in the 100-yard freestyle (1:01.78) and sixth in the 50-yard freestyle (26.99).
The Cougars notched their first event victory in the 500-yard freestyle when Moorman captured the title in 6:29.95. The team of Pappano, Miller, Marinc and Brady Sieg followed by taking the 200-yard freestyle relay in 1:47.89 and 400-yard freestyle relay in 4:19.71. Caffee claimed the 100-yard backstroke in 1:23.94.
Despite fielding only two swimmers in the meet, Corydon Central had a solid showing, edging out Salem to finish fourth with 55 points. Those points came primarily on the shoulders of Hunter Crain, who dominated the 200-yard freestyle in 1:49.44 and 100-yard butterfly in 57.58.
Booker LaHue followed Crain’s performance with a solid night in his own right, finishing third in the 100-yard breaststroke in 1:19.79 and fourth in the 50 yard freestyle in 26.12.
As sectional draws ever closer, both the Cougars and Panthers will return to Charlestown Middle School on Tuesday when they compete in the Charlestown Invitational starting at 6 p.m.
