Lady Liberator swimming closed out the season Feb. 3 and 4, at the SWMO Championships in Springfield. In two days in the pool the Liberators posted multiple best times of the season in both individual and relay events.
Competing among 24 schools from across the region with more than 180 individual athletes, the Lady Liberators sent two relay teams into finals on Saturday after prelims on Friday. Both of these relays posted season best times during the two days.
The 200 yard medley relay team of Asa Scholten, Josie Thomas, Bri Fugere and Rebekah Harless finished the varsity finals meet 15th overall.
Harless, Clarissa Ackels, Aby Kaufmann, and Scholten finished 17th overall in the 200 yard freestyle finals. In this swim, Scholten posted the second fastest 50 free in program history.
All six varsity swimmers competed in multiple individual events during prelims with Scholten, Fugere and Thomas each finishing just a few spots out of finals range in 200 freestyle, 100 fly, and 500 freestyle respectively.
An additional eight BHS athletes swam Saturday morning in JV competition posting multiple improved times and top 25 finishes.
The Lady Liberators will graduate only one senior this year in Clarissa Ackels, a four year swimmer. As a relatively young team in both program history and individual athletes, Bolivar Swimming is positioned for future growth and success.
Six current swimmers hold a top eight all-time program rank in at least one of the eight individual events with a few others waiting just outside that range. Additionally, both Scholten and Harless share relay program records with Scholten also holding individual records. “We are a young team that grew closer together and improved all season long,” says Coach Kyle Smith. “I am so excited to see where the future of Liberator Swimming takes us.”
