The MSMS swim team, led by coach Chris Chain and co-captains John Broome, Cassie van Riessen and Raymond Yang, has kicked off its 2025 season with three successful meets.
As the team competes, it keeps its end-of-season goal in mind: have all swimmers qualify for an event at North Half, the regional competition that takes place before the MHSAA Swim Championships.
The team opened its season by traveling to Tupelo on Sept. 2. The Goen and Frazer teams both placed second at the meet. After the Sept. 9 Starkville meet, Chain said he started to notice times getting better across both teams. Goen and Frazer swimmers placed third, and the team placed second overall.
“We dropped time from the first meet to the second meet on all of our relays, and a lot of individual times [were faster]. I see a progression as we go through these meets,” Chain said.
The team’s most recent meet was the Tupelo Pack meet on Sept. 16. The meet was the first the entire team attended, so everyone had the chance to qualify for North Half. Junior Jordyn Taylor said the results from the meet were productive for the team and individual swimmers.
“Most [swimmers] did really well. Daniel Hu got fourth in the 100-meter freestyle and second in the 100-meter breaststroke, and the Goen swimmers dropped 5 seconds off their 200-meter medley relay,” Taylor said. “It was good for the team to experience what a swim meet is like, and at the next meet we will do even better.”
Van Riessen said she is thrilled about the new group of Goen residents joining the team.
“We have a really great group of juniors this year, especially junior girls,” van Riessen said, “I’m the only senior girl on the team, so I appreciate them.”
Before North Half, the team will travel to the Cleveland Last Chance competition on Sept. 24. This will be the last meet in which swimmers can earn a time that qualifies them for North Half.
Broome is glad to have the opportunity to swim in Cleveland.
“I really like going to the Cleveland pool, because Delta State just redid their entire facility,” Broome said. “It’s also a three-hour ride, so you really get a lot of bonding time with the team.”
Yang said he is optimistic about the new swimmers and is happy to be their captain.
“We have so many juniors who’ve come from club swimming, and they were really successful on their old teams, so I’m hopeful they’ll make a very big impact this year,” Yang said. “My goal as a captain is to encourage my juniors, who I know will do fantastic.”
Yang said he is confident his teammates will attend North Half and the state meet.
“Most individuals on the team last year went to North Half and [the state meet], so I think this year we’ll have that same trend,” Yang said.
