Swimmers Getting Ready For State

The Beatrice-Norris-Fairbury-Freeman (BNFF) swimming and diving team wrapped up its regular season at the Greater Nebraska Championship Invitational in Hastings with strong performances from both the girls and boys teams.The BNFF girls placed fourth out of nine teams, while the boys finished fifth out of nine.This meet serves as a final opportunity for swimmers and divers to qualify for state or improve their qualifying marks. With it also being the last full-team meet of the season, the athletes came prepared and focused. BNFF recorded 33 personal-best times and scores — the most we have seen at any meet this season — along with five relays improving their previous times. Eight athletes bettered their secondary state qualifying marks, and four achieved improved automatic state qualifying times or scores.The swimming portion took place Saturday. The girls 200 Medley Relay started off the meet improving their time by 1.70 seconds and bettering their secondary state qualifying time with a time of 2:03.50. The relay team consists of Freshman Hayley Kuhlmann (backstroke), Junior Sophia Meints (breastroke), Junior Petra Van Cleave (butterfly), and Senior Tabitha Crawford (freestyle).Next up was the boys 200 medley relay. The boys team also improved their time and bettered their secondary state qualifying time with a time of 1:47.76. Swimming on this relay was Junior Dru Breeden (backstroke), Junior Tobias Kidder (breastroke), Sophomore Reid Novotny (butterfly), and Sophomore James Given (freestyle). Junior Sophia Meints improved her 50 freestyle secondary state qualifying time with 26.42.Sophomore Reid Novotny improved his automatic state qualifying time with a time of 22.16. Novotny also improved his automatic state qualifying time in the 100 backstroke with a time of 54.39.The girls 200 freestyle relay improved their secondary state qualifying time by 2.77 seconds, with a time of 1:47.46. Swimming in the relay was Junior Sophia Meints, Sophomore Alysse Basset, Freshman Hayley Kuhlman, and Senior Tabitha Crawford.And the boys 400 freestyle relay improved their secondary state qualifying time by 3.69 seconds, with a time of 3.32.84. Swimming part of this relay was Sophomore James Given, Senior Jarett Guenther, Junior Dru Breeden, and Sophomore Reid Novotny.Medals went out to the top 3 relay teams and to the top 6 individual winners. BNFF teams came home with 20 medals. First place finishes: Reid Novotny in the 100 backstroke.Second Place finishes: Dru Breeden in 200 Individual Medley; Reid Novotny in the 50 freestyle; Carter Mertz in diving; and Tabitha Crawford in 500 freestyle.Swimming a Personal Best Times/scores: Sophia Meints 50 freestyle; Reid Novotny 50 freestyle and 100 backstroke.This meet also marked the final regular-season competition for six of our eight seniors: Bethany Jurgena, Kennedey Biesecker, Paikea Olmer, Isabelle Essink, Karley Seggerman and Hailey Crouse.Next up for the BNFF team is the Nebraska State Competition at the end of this month. BNFF has 14 on the state team this season.Dina Scheele – Head Coach BNFF Swimming and Diving

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