Central’s Swim Team ended the season with the joy of breaking records and growth as a team.
Sophomore Carter Hiley broke Central’s school record in both the 100 freestyle and 200 individual medley. Last year, as a freshman, Hiley broke the record in the 200 individual medley; previously, the record was two minutes and three seconds.
“Last year at Metros, I went 2:00, and at state, I went 1:58,” Hiley said.
This year, he broke his record by four seconds by swimming a 1:53.36 at state and, overall, was third in Nebraska. In the boy’s 100 free, he broke the school record by 45 milliseconds by swimming 46.65 seconds, placing fourth overall in Nebraska.
“To finally stand on the podium on live TV was an incredibly surreal moment for me,” Hiley said. “I saw the years of hard work paid off, and I loved being with the team for one final meet, especially the seniors, who I’m so, so proud of.”
Central boys 200 medley relay placed eighth in the state at 1:40.14. This included Hiley and seniors Kyle St. Cyr, Jackson Brandenberg and Cooper Long.
Many swimmers reflected on how swimming has made them develop as people.
Junior Renny Maxwell said, “I was able to grow as a person, supported by the many friendships and bonds I created between different people on the team, but also as a swimmer, dropping time throughout the season to get to the point I’m at.”
Senior Scarlet Losole said, “My friendships on the team grew tremendously throughout this experience, and I’m so glad I knew this team for the past four years.”
Junior Holland Robison enjoyed the experience that comes with state. “I loved swimming around in the hotel pool and messing around with my teammates,” she said. “As well as eating six plates of mashed potatoes.”
Maxwell also said, “Being able to hang out with the team the night before finals was my favorite part. We all went to the hotel pool together and did chicken fights and hung out.”
“It was fun to support everybody on the day of finals, especially Carter and Kyle, who both swam individual events,” Maxwell said. “Watching Carter break the record and medal in two individual events, along with seeing the boys medal in the medley relay, was so special.”
Senior Cate Connor is happy about the life lessons that the team has given her. “I gained new friends and memories, but I also gained a lot of self-confidence in myself as an athlete and as a person,” Connor said.
The Central team looks to next year with hopes of being even better. “Hopefully, next year we will be even better, with two of our fastest girls, Laura Lindsay and Cece Taylor, back in the water, since this year they were both recovering from shoulder surgery,” Maxwell said.
As the seniors have now left their print on the Central High Swim team, Losole hopes “everyone tries a sport and tries to go to state for that sport. Even if in that time it seems hard to get the motivation to want to get that far, it is always worth it.”
