As his fellow teammate Brandon Driggs touches the wall and stops the clock, excitement flooded over Senior Collin Lightfoot and the other team members of the Lions 200 meter medley rely team.

Although the team came in third in this event at the regional meet in Frisco, the time of 1:39.50 set a school record.

“I’m friggin’ pumped,” Lightfoot said. “Ever since the start of my swimming career I wanted to be on the record board. We are going to do well in state too, I’m saying we get second if not first.”

For some of the relay team members this was their first record to set.

“It feels great,” Brandon Driggs said. “I’ve never beaten a record before and I’m proud I have now.”

Team members Brandon Driggs and Matt Reynolds went on to receive first and third place in 100-meter butterfly.

“Me and Brandon are always competing in 100 fly,” Junior Matt Reynolds said. “I’m happy for him. It’s either him or me, he just won this time.”

The boy’s teams finished second while the girl’s team ended in tenth.

“In our 200 relay we came in fifth, which is disappointing for me,” Senior Madi Neal said. “As a team we did better by three seconds but I still felt we would do better.”

Despite the girls team placing, Sophomore Sammie Hashbarger was able to place first in 100-meter freestyle and in 50-meter freestyle, setting a new pool record.

“It was cool setting a pool record,” Hashbarger said. “I didn’t expect to do well cause I hurt my shoulder and have a sprained ankle.”

Sammie Hashbarger, Brandon Driggs, Matt Reynolds, Robert Swan, Harrison Westgarth, and the boys relay team expect to be chosen for the state meet later in February.

“We’ve had a good day,” Coach Serio said. “I feel we did better than we did in districts, I can’t ask for more than their best.”

story by Tyler Hook

photo by Reid South