Cyclones swimmers win again
Published 12:58 pm Tuesday, December 7, 2021
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CONTRIBUTED
Cyclones Swimmers competed Saturday and Monday in the busiest week of their season. Saturday’s meet at the Kingsport Aquatic Center saw 12 teams from around the region meet for the East Tennessee Classic hosted by Dobyn’s Bennett.
The Cyclones placed fourth in the competition with many first-time and personal best swims that started with Sophia James and Eva El Helou placing four and five in the 200 Freestyle.
This was also the first time either of them had ever competed in the event. James followed that performance with a personal best time in her 100 Breaststroke, improving by an impressive 11.59 seconds.
Also improving on Saturday in the 100 Breaststroke was freshman Liam Cannon who placed sixth with a time of 1:16.76. Cannon had already made an impression earlier that morning in the 200 Individual Medley when he cut a jaw-dropping 9.03 seconds from his previous best time.
Sophomore Cadie Digby also swam the 200 Individual Medley along with her signature 100 Butterfly, scoring a crucial four points for the team.
The 100 Butterfly was not an event that Elijah Smith swam much in previous seasons, but he’s proving that it’s right in his wheelhouse. The senior has dropped almost 5 seconds from his time already this season and feels good about the possibility of qualifying for state in the event this year.
To do so, he just needs to drop another 1.63 seconds. He’s also hoping to repeat last year’s success by qualifying in the shortest event in the sport, the 50 Freestyle, in which he’s currently just 11 hundredths of a second from the state qualifying time.
Sophomore RJ Brewer scored a critical two points for the team when he improved in the 100 Butterfly on Saturday with a time of 1:08.56. He followed that race with another impressive cut of 2.38 seconds in his 100 Freestyle, placing ninth.
Kody Broussard placed second in the 100 Freestyle by dropping 1.23 seconds from his personal best for a time of 56.38. Broussard also placed fifth in the 200 Freestyle, scoring a total of 11 points for the team.
Freshman Grace Artz swam the 100 Freestyle for the second time in her young swimming career and dropped an unbelievable 21.57 seconds for a time of 1:25.72.
Sophomores Ella Edmondson and El Helou dropped over two seconds in their 50 freestyles. Eva’s twin sister, Layla, also swam the 50 Freestyle, improving by an astounding eight seconds this week.
“It’s so fun to see swimmers learn how to race,” said Coach Kelli Broussard. “The more often they swim an event, the better they learn how to swim it.”
Sophomore Morgan Roszel cut 1.52 seconds in his 100 Backstroke, just 52 hundredths of a second from his goal to qualify for State in the event.
Coach Broussard believes he’ll achieve that goal. “It’s still early in the season. We have some more technical work to do with him and a training plan in place that we believe will get him there. It also helps that he’s very competitive.”
On Monday the Cyclones swimmers won every event in their matchup with Sullivan East.
Sophia James placed second in the 200 Individual Medley behind teammate Cadie Digby. Grace Artz won both the 100 Backstroke and 200 Freestyle. Eva El Helou won both the 50 and 500 Freestyles.
Ella Edmondson won the 100 Freestyle and placed third in the 50 Freestyle. Layla El Helou took second in the 100 Freestyle and fourth in the 50 Freestyle for the women while RJ Brewer won both of the events for the men.
Kody Broussard won both the 100 Butterfly and 500 Freestyle. Morgan Roszel won both the 200 Individual Medley and 100 Backstroke. Tabitha Tshuma placed ninth in the 50 Freestyle and third in the 100 Backstroke.
James rounded out the night with a win in the 100 Breaststroke, continuing to improve by cutting another 2.13 seconds.
The Cyclones Swimmers raced again Tuesday night at the Kingsport Aquatic Center where they met up against Dobyns Bennett and Westridge High Schools.
