RUSSELLVILLE - El Dorado’s swim teams finished their season over the weekend with both the boys and girls finishing seventh at the 5A State Swimming & Diving Championships.
Freshman Adrianna Arnold led the Lady Wildcats, earning All-State honors by finishing second in the 500 freestyle while adding a third-place finish in the 200 freestyle. Arnold teamed up with Rachel Murphree, Abigail Thompson and Jana Powell to place third in the 200 medley relay.
Thompson was fifth in the 50 freestyle and ninth in the 100 breaststroke. Powell was ninth in the 200 individual medley.
The Wildcats’ team of Aleck Ramirez, Luke Utsch, Everett Gati and Payton Allman took third in the 200 freestyle relay. Allman, Gati, Utsch and Ramirez placed fifth in the 200 medley relay.
Allman touched third in the 100 freestyle and third in the 100 backstroke. Gati was fourth in the 100 butterfly and eighth in the 100 breaststroke. Utsch was fifth in the 200 individual medley and seventh in the 100 butterfly.
“We brought 12 to state, and everyone came home with at least one medal,” said first-year coach Courtney McDiarmid Canady. “Although we had a lot that were close, Adrianna Arnold was our only All-State finisher, placing second in the 500.”
The Wildcats scored 181 to finish behind Russellville (272), Lake Hamilton (239), Siloam Springs (202), Benton (200), Mountain Home (198) and Little Rock Christian (195) and ahead of Jonesboro (151), Hot Springs Lakeside (109), Sylvan Hills (70), Hot Springs (69), Greene County Tech (68), Maumelle (50), Alma (50), Vilonia (36) and Parkview (5).
The Lady Wildcats scored 134 to place behind Mountain Home (292), Russellville (278), Little Rock Christian (256), Benton (241), Jonesboro (187) and Greene County Tech (145) and in front of Lakeside (121), Siloam Springs (89), Sylvan Hills (87), Vilonia (79), Parkview (58), Hot Springs (37), Maumelle (37) and Lake Hamilton (4).
Canady said several swimmers set personal records at the event.
“Everett Gati and Luke Utsch had their best times in the 100 fly,” Canady said. “Braden Major had a personal record in the 200 and 500 free, Nathanael Marino had one in his 500 free, Jana Powell cut over a second in her 200 IM and Payton Allman had a best time in the 100 back.”
Canady is excited about what the future holds for the program.
“The majority of the swimmers that went to state were underclassmen, so there’s a lot of potential for more growth in the upcoming years,” Canady said. “It’s been a great season. With the first year now under my belt, I have high expectations for next year and am already excited to get it all started over again.”