LAURINBURG — Richmond Senior High School’s boys’ and girls’ swimming teams competed in their second meet of the season at St. Andrews on Wednesday.
By adding a second relay event, the Raiders notched 81 points and finished third, one point ahead of Hoke County High School. The Lady Raiders took fifth for the second week in a row, but recorded a season-high 50 points.
Several members from Richmond’s teams recorded new personal records, including five Raiders in the 50-yard freestyle. Seniors Wil Mabe (29.01 seconds, 6th) and Daniel Griggs (29.14 seconds, 7th) combined for 16 points in the event.
Swimming in exhibition heats, three other Raiders notched PRs in the open 50-yard swim — sophomore Brent Humann (32.14 seconds), senior Conner Ellis (34.19 seconds) and freshman Trace Davis (39.68 seconds).
Mabe and Griggs also had PRs in the 100-yard freestyle and collected 17 more points for the Raiders. In the standings, Mabe finished third overall (1:05.26) and Griggs took eighth place (1:15.22).
The Raiders competed in the 200 and 400-yard freestyle relays, the latter being new to the team’s race list this week. The boys finished third in each relay and earned 48 combined points.
In the 200-yard relay, Mabe, Ellis, Humann and Griggs set a new best time as a group with a mark of 2:06.77, which was almost 10 full seconds faster than last week.
Freshman Michael Barbee joined Mabe, Humann and Griggs in the 400-yard freestyle relay, and the four swimmers totaled a time of 5:39.73.
ROSports File Photo: Senior Ellie Buck recorded a new PR in the 100-yard freestyle. (Kyle Pillar/The Richmond Observer)
The Lady Raiders competed in the same three events as they did last week — the 50 and 100-yard individual freestyle and the 200-yard freestyle relay.
Seniors Paxlee Faircloth and Ellie Buck earned points for the second meet in a row in the 50-yard freestyle. Faircloth recorded a new PR with her sixth-place finish (33.55 seconds, 9 points), while Buck was seventh overall and added 7 points (34.63 seconds).
Junior Bobbie Faircloth (35.40 seconds, 9th), freshman Alivia Webb (39.17 seconds, 12th) and freshman Nelly Madrigal (43.41 seconds, 20th) recorded new personal best times in the 50-yard freestyle. Senior Meghan McKenzie also raced and finished in 42.12 seconds.
Buck and freshman Jamison Hubbard recorded points in the 100-yard freestyle, the second straight meet the two Lady Raiders have placed. Hubbard took seventh overall and 7 points with her time of 1:23.19, and Buck recorded her fastest time ever in the event, clocking in at 1:24.88 (8th, 5 points).
The Lady Raiders sent two teams to compete in the 200-yard freestyle relay, and the same four swimmers from last week’s race placed fourth overall for 22 points.
Buck, junior Karter Walker and Bobbie and Paxlee Faircloth recorded a time of 2:25.95, taking just over six seconds off their time from last week.
Sophomores Emma Altman and Katie Way, along with seniors Kassie Smith and Kiersten Gibson, also swam in the relay race. The four Lady Raiders also improved their time as a team, clocking in at 2:39.23, a full nine seconds faster than week one.
The Pinecrest High School girls’ team (280 points) and boys’ team (275 points) took first place for the second week in a row.
Swimmers will return to Sandhills Athletic Conference action on Wednesday, Jan. 5 at St. Andrews at 6:15 p.m.
