Despite not placing a swimmer atop the medal podium, the Hopkinsville girls’ swim team accumulated enough points to bring home region runner-up honors for a second straight year. The Lady Tigers will send at least three swimmers and two relay teams to the state meet later this month.
Sunday’s region meet at the Rick Cohn Aquatic Center was delayed two days due to the winter weather that left many roads in western Kentucky ice-covered. Because of the delay, the preliminary round was scratched and Sunday’s event was a timed final – meaning just one swim to get in.
Elizabeth Langhi finished second in the 200-yard IM with a time of 2:23.79 and was third in the 100-yard butterfly in a time of 1:04.89. Sunday was only the second time Langhi swam the butterfly in a high school meet.
Lauren Montgomery was second in the 100-yard freestyle in a time of 57.92 and was third in the 50-yard free in 26.21 seconds.
Riley Robinson was finished second in the 100-yard breaststroke in 1:15.54 and was fourth in the 200-yard freestyle in a time of 2:09.19.
Langhi, Montgomery, and Robinson automatically qualify for state. First and second place finishers automatically qualify for the KHSAA Girls’ State Swimming Championships presented by UK HealthCare on February 19 at the University of Kentucky. The next 22 fastest times statewide will also qualify.
Grace Cansler was fourth in the 100-yard breaststroke (1:18.93) and was eighth in the 200-yard IM (2:41.07).
Anna Hernandez was fifth in the 200-yard freestyle (2:18.77) and fifth in the 500-yard free (6:22.21).
Livie Jorgensen was fifth in the 200-yard IM (2:37.08) and seventh in the 100-yard breaststroke (1:23.51).
Caroline Payne was seventh in the 200-yard freestyle (2:25.08).
Eliza Renshaw was eighth in the 50-yard free (30.13) and eighth in the 100-yard butterfly in 1:22.80.
Anna Fort was ninth in the 100-yard freestyle (1:10.31)
Caroline Payne was tenth in the 500-yard free (6:47.16)
Ella Brown was 12th in the 50-yard free (32.45) and 12th in the 100-yard free (1:12.19)
Kaley Bangart was 15th in the 100-yard free (1:16.61)
Saralynn Major was 15th in the 100-yard breaststroke (2:01.16)
Kylie Batts was 16th in the 200-yard freestyle (2:45.43) and was 18th in the 100-yard backstroke (1:37.35)
Morgan Brown was 16th in the 100-yard backstroke (1:30.12)
Savannah Embrey was 20th in the 100-yard backstroke (1:39.356) and was 22nd in the 50-yard free (39.31)
The 200-yard medley relay team of Elizabeth Langhi, Riley Robinson, Lauren Montgomery, and Livie Jorgensen took second in a time of 2:00.85, knocking nearly 10 seconds off their seeded time.
The foursome also took second in the 200-yard freestyle relay in a time of 1:47.18, which was 5.33 seconds better than their seeded time.
The 400-yard freestyle relay team of Grace Cansler, Eliza Renshaw, Caroline Payne, and Anna Hernandez finished in third place in a time of 4:21.16.
Hopkinsville scored 344 points in the girls’ event to finish runner-up for the second straight year. Hoptown has finished first or second in the region for six straight years.
Murray claimed its second straight region title with 541 points.
