In what has been a season of rousing success, El Dorado’s swim teams are hoping to finish the season with a flourish at the Arkansas High School Swimming & Diving Championships, which get underway today at Russellville with the diving events.
Swimming events start at 9 a.m. on Saturday.
The Wildcats won the 5A-South crown with the Lady Wildcats finishing third, and first-year coach Courtney McDiarmid Canady is excited to see her teams compete on the state’s biggest stage.
“The team has done a lot this year,” Canady said. “We’ve seen lots of personal records. As far as a team goal, we all want to perform at the highest caliber possible and go out with a bang to end the season.
“A conference win is a tangible way to show an achievement, but what matters more to me is the effort that they’ve put forth throughout the season. You have bad races and you have good ones. Making sure you always try your best is all I can ask.
“Just making it in the top 16 to be able to swim at state is an accomplishment itself. I know that the athletes going are excited. They’ve trained hard this season. Whatever happens at state will just be icing on the cake.
“In the big picture, places are just a number. Best swims are more important, and I know they’re all going to give it whatever they’ve got.”
El Dorado has a plethora of qualifiers for the state meet in multiple events, including senior Everett Gati, who is swimming in the 100 butterfly, 100 breaststroke, 200 freestyle relay and 200 medley relay; sophomore Payton Allman in the 100 backstroke, 100 freestyle, 200 freestyle relay and 200 medley relay; freshman Luke Utsch in the 200 individual medley, 100 butterfly, 200 freestyle relay and 200 medley relay; junior Aleck Ramirez in the 200 medley relay and 200 freestyle relay; senior Nathanael Marino in the 500 freestyle and 400 freestyle relay; freshman Braden Major in the 200 freestyle, 500 freestyle and 400 freestyle relay; freshman Jack Dunn in the 400 freestyle relay; senior Will Robbins in the 400 freestyle relay; freshman Adrianna Arnold in the 200 freestyle, 500 freestyle, 400 freestyle relay and 200 medley relay; junior Jana Powell in the 200 individual medley, 500 freestyle, 400 freestyle relay and 200 medley relay; junior Abigail Thompson in the 50 freestyle, 100 breaststroke, 400 freestyle relay and 200 medley relay and junior Rachel Murphree in the 400 freestyle relay and 200 medley relay.
“They all have an equal opportunity to perform well at this meet,” Canady said.
“For state, only 16 spots are available in each event, so just being able to swim at state is an accomplishment itself. I’m very proud of them and I know that they’re proud of themselves and how far they’ve come this year.
“We have a couple ranked in the top three. Adrianna Arnold is ranked third in girls 200 freestyle and second in the 500 freestyle, Payton Allman is ranked third in the 100 freestyle. The boys 200 freestyle relay is ranked first. All of the places are just based off of the fastest times we have listed on the psych sheet, so nothing is set in stone. All athletes have the opportunity to move up in rank.”
Regardless of Saturday’s results, Canady is hoping to build off this year’s accomplishments and be even better next year.
“This season may have been the first that the EHS boys have ever won conference,” Canady said. “Girls have won in years past, and although it isn’t something we accomplished this year, that’s always something we can work toward next year. I hope the team continues to grow and flourish next year as it has this one.”