After a sound performance by Hopkinsville High School’s boys relay teams on Friday, the Lady Tigers took over Ralph Wright Natatorium on Saturday with intentions of also advancing to the finals session.
Kicking off the day was rising sophomore Ella Falco, who finished 12th in the 200 yard freestyle with a time of 1:57.52. Falco’s time and finish qualified her for Saturday night’s finals, making the Tigers 1/1 on the day.
Unfortunately, the Lady Tigers would stop there as their remaining events would come up just short of advancing. Star junior Lauren Langhi finished 35th in the 200 yard individual medley with a time of 2:21.51.
Following Falco’s 200 yard freestyle, she quickly returned to the starting block for the second of her two individual events. Falco placed 33rd in the 100 yard butterfly with a time of 1:02.87.
Junior Ellie Colburn swam the 100 yard freestyle, finishing 38th with a time of 58.34.
Then the two heartbreaks came.
First, Hoptown’s 200 yard freestyle relay of Falco, Madyson Merrick, Colburn and Langhi placed 19th with a time of 1:45.59. The Lady Tigers finished three spots short of advancing to Saturday night’s finals, missing the cut by .56 of a second.
After Langhi swam the 100 yard breaststroke and finished 32nd with a time of 1:12.61, the Lady Tigers met on the deck for the final race of prelims. Hoptown’s 400 yard freestyle relay team of Falco, Colburn, Merrick and Langhi finished 17th to land as the night’s first alternate. Their time of 3:49.64 was .26 shy of qualifying.
Despite the later heartbreak, Falco did compete in Saturday’s finals session. Seeded 12th in the 200 yard freestyle, the rising star finished 13th with a time of 1:57.71.
She scored four points for the Lady Tigers.
For a state team losing just one senior, the Lady Tigers are poised for a sound return next season.