Another year, another trip to Louisville for the Hopkinsville Tigers. The high school swim season, which extends from October to February, can be rather dull at times. Jumping in an ice cold pool every day and working every muscle of your body certainly has its downs. However, after having six male swimmers qualify to compete in the state championship meet, the Tigers sent head coach Keith Marquess, assistant coach Lynn Cohn, Bryce Hanson, Bryce Robinson, Chase Atkins, Jadyn Hicks, Koby Batts and Spencer Walker to Louisville for the season’s greatest reward.
Starting Friday’s preliminary session for the boys was the team’s 200 yard medley relay. Senior Koby Batts led off the backstroke leg, followed by Bryce Hanson in the breaststroke leg, Spencer Walker in the butterfly leg and Jadyn Hicks as the freestyle anchor. The team added time, placing 25th in what wasn’t their ideal performance. However, the team’s day would soon vastly improve.
Coming into the season, Chase Atkins was searching to find his way to competing in the KHSAA State Swimming Championships. Last season, Atkins served as the relay team’s alternate. This year, though, Atkins made his presence felt as an individual. Atkins qualified for the state meet to swim the 200 yard freestyle, a race that requires a unique combination of sprinting and endurance. The sophomore had the best meet of his career, finishing in 37th place but dropping more than two seconds for a best-time of 1:54.76.
Following Atkins was his close friend and teammate, Bryce Robinson. Robinson suited up for the 200 yard individual medley, finishing 33rd with a time of 2:08.43. Batts took the block next, preparing for his last individual race as a Tiger. The senior swam the 100 yard butterfly to finish 34th with a time of 57.02.
Like Batts, both Spencer Walker and Jadyn Hicks were competing in their final state competition. Walker qualified for the 100 yard freestyle at regionals and finished 36th at the state meet with a time of 51.51. Hicks swam the 500 yard freestyle last year and followed suit this year, placing 33rd with a time of 5:06.41.
With most of the team’s individual events out of the way, the unit could now shift a majority of their focus towards their strong suits: the 200 and 400 yard freestyle relays.
Hoptown’s 200 yard freestyle relay team of Batts, Hanson, Robinson and Walker finished in 14th place with a time of 1:33.07 that qualified the group for Friday’s finals session.
The Tigers’ 400 yard freestyle relay team of Batts, Hicks, Robinson and Walker were in sync with a 15th place finish with a time of 3:24.58 that also qualified for the finals session.
In-between the two relays, Robinson swam the 100 yard breaststroke to finish in 35th place with a time of 1:04.32. Robinson knocked off a few tenths of a second from his regionals time, joining Atkins as swimmers to individually improve on the day.
After a well-deserved break, the swimmers resumed action for Friday night’s finals session of the state championship. First up was Hoptown’s 200 yard freestyle relay team, seeded 14th. The team suited up and finished 13th with a time of 1:32.78.
In the team’s last high school race together, Hoptown’s 400 yard freestyle relay team stood behind the block as the 15th seeded team in the event. The Tigers improved once more to finish 14th with a time of 3:24.55.
The Lady Tigers will swim in their preliminary session on Saturday morning, looking to qualify for Saturday night’s finals session.