ROCKINGHAM — Senior swimmer Aerial Spooner has been named the ROSports Official Richmond County Female Athlete of the Week presented by Moss Brothers Tires & Service.
The Richmond Senior High School swimming teams saw their 2019-2020 season come to a close in Saturday’s Sandhills Athletic Conference championship at St. Andrews University. Although the Lady Raiders would finish near the bottom of the standings, it was a big day for Spooner, who closed her three-year swimming career.
This is Spooner’s first career selection.
Athletic Profile
Age: 18
Birthday: Oct. 30, 2001
Year: Senior
Winter Sport: Swimming
Events: 100-yard backstroke, relays
Years on Varsity: 3 Years
Height & Weight: 5-7, 155 pounds
Experience: 3 Years
“SWIMMING LAPS” WITH AERIAL SPOONER
A three-year member of the Lady Raider swim team, Spooner has been with the program since its inception during her sophomore year. She’s been Richmond’s top female in the 100-yard backstroke during that time, and she set a new personal record in her final high school performance.
One of the final races in the 24-event meet, Spooner jumped in the pool and finished the two laps in 1:39.10. That time was 0.13 seconds faster than her previous personal best, which she set in a regular season meet on Dec. 12, 2018 as a junior.
In her race, Spooner finished eighth overall, collecting 11 points for the Lady Raiders. During her first lap of the race, she went the distance in 49.06 seconds, before finishing her second lap not far behind that with a mark of 50.04 seconds.
That time was just under five seconds behind Jack Britt High School’s Charlotte Branconier for seventh place. Spooner’s performance was also the Lady Raiders’ only points-earner in the individual events.
She would also help the Lady Raiders earn the remaining 24 points as part of the four-person 200-yard freestyle relay. That event was swam directly before her backstroke performance, but she said a small intermission in between the two helped her regain enough energy for her personal record.
In the 200-yard free relay, Spooner was the anchor swimmer. Her time of 37.59 seconds was the final mark for the team, helping the Lady Raiders take seventh place. Joining her in the relay were O’cean Bennett, Ellie Buck and Kassie Smith.
Raider Video Chats: Aerial Spooner, Official Richmond County Female Athlete of the Week
In her video, Spooner highlights her career performance in her final swim meet, discusses how being a member of the swimming program has impacted her in other areas of her life and breaks down her options after high school, which involve music and playing in a collegiate marching band.
Click photo for video.
