The MSMS swim team attended the North Half swim meet last weekend in Flowood, MS.

The team has been preparing through practices and meets since the beginning of the semester. Tyler Hartman said he “prepared for this meet by working hard at practice. I also made sure I had plenty of sleep and carbed up before the meet.”

Knowing that North Half is the state qualifying meet, many of the team members were nervous about how the competition would turn out. Devon Matheny, a junior and first year swimmer said “I was super nervous going into this competition, but I just told myself to have fun and swim as fast as I could.” Though nerves set in, some members of the team were concerned about other matters. Junior Rosie Andrews, a native of Ridgeland, MS (just a town over from Flowood) said “I wasn’t really nervous. I was more excited to see friends from my old school and see family who came to watch and support me.”

The MHSAA State Swim Meet takes place this weekend. Junior Beckett Voges-Haupt said, “I’m looking forward to supporting the swim team. I’m kind of bitter about not qualifying, but it’ll still be fun.”

Though most swimmers take part in multiple events, many of them have a preference. Senior Madison Mclean saiad “My favorite events are definitely the relays because I get to compete with my teammates!” While Hartman states that his favorite event is the 50 meter freestyle because “it’s the most fast-paced event, and I only have to exert energy for less than 30 seconds.”

Between now and the state meet, each team member wants to improve an aspect of the swimming technique. For Mclean, it’s her time in races, for Hartman, it’s his diving technique, and for Andrews, it’s her backstroke technique. Overall, the swim team performed well, with seven swimmers qualifying for the state meet. Spirits are high as the MSMS swim team progresses through their season, making improvements along the way.

The results of the North Half swim meet are as follows:

Rosie Andrews (50 Freestyle – 8th Place, 100 Back – 4th Place)
Sukhada Borse (50 Freestyle – 21st Place, 100 Fly – 8th Place)
Tyler Hartman (50 Free – 1st Place, 100 Breast – 1st Place)
Sutton Klein (100 Fly – 5th Place, 100 Back – 6th Place)
Devon Matheny (50 Freestyle – 33rd Place, 100 Freestyle – 35th Place)
Madison McLean (200 IM – 2nd Place, 100 Breast – 2nd Place)
Mariana Strawn (50 Freestyle – 9th Place, 100 Breast – 10th Place)
Beckett Voges-Haupt (50 Freestyle – 11th Place, 100 Freestyle – 14th Place)
John Wells (50 Freestyle – 28th Place)