RAEFORD — Six swimmers across five events helped the Richmond Senior High School boys’ swimming team to its best finish of the season Tuesday.
Returning to the pool at the James A. Leach Aquatic Center for the first time in three weeks, the Raiders competed in their second Mid-South Conference meet of the season.
Thanks to the addition of a couple swimmers, the Raiders collected a season-high 101 points, while finishing sixth out of six teams for the second time.
Scoring 17 more points than in its last meet, Richmond finished behind winner Pinecrest High School (373 points) and Pine Forest (345 points), Hoke County (235 points), Jack Britt (198 points) and Overhills (196 points) high schools.
It was a big night for senior swimmer Cole Thrower, who set a new personal record in one event, swam a season-best time in another and recorded a single-meet career-high in points.
“This was an improved effort from our first meet,” head coach Lauren Brewer shared. “We were able to add a couple of swimmers to the team to compete in additional events, and that helped with our score. This is a growing year for us, so I’m pleased to see that happen so quickly.
“Cole did a great job and continued to be our leading swimmer,” she added. “He’s been lowering his times pretty consistently at practice and it’s great to see him do it in a meet. Swimming isn’t an easy sport and I’m proud of all the guys for hanging in there.”
The Raiders picked up a chunk of points and several seconds in the 200-yard freestyle relay. Placing sixth in the event, the Raiders clocked in with a season-best time of 2:18.73, which was 7.11 seconds faster than in the first meet.
Registering 26 points in the event were sophomore Owen Whitley, senior Luke Gilliam, sophomore Mason Robson and Thrower in the anchor position.
In his two events, the 50-yard and 100-yard freestyles, Thrower scored 28 points to beat his previous personal best by one point.
His highest placement came in the open 50, which resulted in a fourth-place time of 27.63 seconds. Notching his fastest time in that event this season, he scored 15 points.
Thrower finished sixth overall in the 100-yard freestyle race, setting a new PR with a time of 1:03.47, a total of 1.37 seconds faster than his previous best. In that event, Thrower added 13 points.
Gilliam and Whitley were the other two point scorers for the Raiders in those two events, both of whom swam new PRs.
The two Raiders each finished in 11th place and tallied six points apiece. Gilliam swam the 50-yard freestyle in 35.29 seconds and Whitley clocked in at 1:31.23 in the open 100 in his first career meet.
Gilliam also had a new single-meet career-high with 19 points. In his second event, he completed the 100-yard backstroke in 1:38.99. The new PR for him resulted in sixth place and 13 points.
Robson, a sophomore newcomer, recorded the team’s final 22 points in two events. He was eighth overall in the 100-yard (1:45.34) and 200-yard (3:53.41) freestyles, earning 11 points in each race.
Two Raiders swam in exhibition heats — freshman Zion Barnes (50-yard free, 1:03.54) and senior Austin Rainwater (50-yard free, 40.57 seconds; 100-yard free, 1:33.88).
The Raiders will return to the pool for their third MSC meet of the season after the holiday break on Jan. 8.
