Triple champ tops Tsunami; McCook diver wins Cornhusker Gold

OXFORD, Neb. — The McCook summer swim team wrapped up its season on Saturday with swimmers in Oxford, Nebraska, and divers in Lincoln.

McCook swim team members who participated in the Plains Tsunami Swim League competed in the championship meet, held at the Oxford pool.

The league includes teams from throughout Southwest and Central Nebraska, Northwest Kansas and Eastern Colorado.

McCook was led by Asher Bennett with three first-place finishes in the boys 8 and under 50 yard freestyle in 44.49, 25 backstroke in 25.15 and 25 short free in 19.10.

Cooper Davidson earned fifth in the 25 yard backstroke with a time of 30.90 and 8th in the 25 short free in 23.97.

Other qualifiers included Emily Spencer with a 7th place finish in the 50 free and Lily Spencer in 12th in the 100 free.

The McCook coed 12 and under medley relay team placed fourth with a time of 1:27.97.

Cambridge brought home several first place finishes including girls 14 and under medley relay with a time of

Arapahoe’s first place finisher was Andrew Roberts in the 25 free in 15.25, 25 breaststroke in 21.99 and 25 butterfly in 18.31.

Atwood claimed first in the girls 18 and under medley relay in 1:27.48.

For Benkelman, Kennedy Bailey finished first in the 50 short free with a time of 32.32.

Frontier County sent a team and earned first in several relays including the 100 medley relay the 200 free relay and the 100 free relay.

Avery Oberg also claimed first in the 25 backstroke with a time of 21.58.

Indianola’s top finisher was Savanna Thatcher with first in the 25 butterfly in 18.03, 25 breast in 20.05 and 50 individual medley in 42.63.

And Oberlin earned a gold medal in the 100 free relay with a time of 1:16.49

***

McCook also sent a couple divers to the second weekend of the Cornhusker State Games, competing on the one-meter springboard in the 15-18 girls division at the Wood Diving Complex in Lincoln.

Completing 10 dives each, McCook junior Maryann Kassner placed first, followed by teammate Emma Graff in second place.

McCook Coach Jon Graff said both girls have had a busy summer, attending multiple dive camps to prepare for this competition and for the upcoming high school season.

“The Cornhusker State Games were a nice wrap-up for the summer season with both girls diving well with close scores,” Graff said. “The girls are motivated to use this experience to improve their scores during the high school winter season, with the goal of reaching the state dive meet.”

The McCook swimmers will take a couple months off from regular practices. Swim season resumes in mid-fall with the YMCA winter swim season which is open to all swimmers 18 and under.

More information and registration will be available on the YMCA website.