Cougars swim to a opening season victory

Friday, November 21, 2014
Swimmers dive off the block as a race begins. (Banner Graphic/JOHNATHON GOODE)

ROACHDALE--Coach Tony Gray and the North Putnam girls swimming and diving team opened up their season against the Covenant Christian Warriors Thursday night. They came away with a persuasive victory, 110-50.

"I learned that this team has some good mental toughness," Gray said. "We've got some freshman who this is a whole new experience for and they really came out and competed well."

Gray was happy with the way his team came out and performed. He believes this will help them in future meets with the understanding of how to swim.

"Anytime you get a win it's a confidence builder, especially with a young team," Gray said. "We only gave away two events tonight, so I was really proud of the girls. They stood out from top to bottom."

North Putnam won 10 out of the 12 events for the night. The only events they did not top were the 500-yard freestyle and the 100-yard breaststroke.

Freshman Abby Spencer swam in her first high school meet after setting multiple records while in middle school. Although she did not set any Thursday, she did come away with four first place finishes in the 200-yard freestyle (2:19.86), 100 yard freestyle (1:03.57), 200 yard freestyle relay (2:31.25) and the 400 yard freestyle relay (4:50.30).

"Abby was amazing tonight," Gray said.

Sophomore Lauren Freije had the closest finish of the night. She beat out Covenant Christian's Abby Klemm by only a tenth of a second in the 50-yard freestyle.

The Cougar's next meet will be Monday at home against South Putnam and Tri-West.

"I hope they learn to relax and I think their times will improve," Gray said. "Hopefully they just learn to relax and that's something we'll work on in practice."


At North Putnam

200 yard medley relay

North Putnam 2:21.33

200 yard freestyle

Spencer (NP) 2:19.86, Freije (NP) 2:41.18, A. Zumbrun (CC) 2:53.19, Sims (NP) 3:01.04, McCall (CC) 3:09.8, L. Zumbrun (CC) 3:44.92

200 yard IM

Alford (NP) 2:58.02, Sturm (CC) 3:02.87, Muse (NP) 3:15.07

50 yard freestyle

Freije (NP) 31.91, Klemm (CC) 32.01, Gray (NP) 33.89, Poynter (NP) 37.34, Kelley (CC) 38.98, Foust (CC) 42.33

1 meter diving

Couch (NP) 100.25, Poynter (NP) 77.60

100 yard butterfly

Dill (NP) 1:20.43, Muse (NP) 1:37.22,

100-yard freestyle

Spencer (NP) 1:03.57, Alford (NP) 1:04.92, Klemm (CC) 1:12.05, Kelley (CC) 1:36.20, Foust (CC) 1:39.17

500 yard freestyle

Beasley (CC) 6:57.97, Dill (NP) 6:58.36, Sims (NP) 8:25.47

200 yard freestyle relay

North Putnam 2:31.25, Covenant Christian 2:49.97, Covenant Christian 2:58.22

100 yard backstroke

Gray (NP) 1:20.68, Freije (NP) 1:26.16, Beasley (CC) 1:49.92, McCall (CC) 1:53.51

100 yard breastroke

Sturm (CC) 1:32.66, A. Zumbrun (CC) 1:36.04, Freije (NP) 1:36.33, Couch (NP) 1:48.56

400 yard freestyle relay

North Putnam 4:50.30, Covenant Christian 5:11.46, North Putnam 5:57.02

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