Camden Mask (left) and Zeke Rigsby show off their ribbons at the district meet on July 11

Swimmers compete at state

By Michael Butler

The Tallassee Tiger Sharks sent 43 swimmers to the ARPA State Championships in Opelika on July 22 and 23. Two individuals were top three placers.

Camden Mask finished second in the 15-18 boys 50-yard breaststroke with a time of 28.09. Zeke Rigsby was third in two events; the 6-and-under boys 25-yard freestyle with a time of 20.25 and the 8-and-under 25-yard-backstroke with a time of  25.69.

Both Mask and Smith were district champions in Opelika on July 11, along with Elise Soehren and Ivy Davis. At last weekend's state meet, Davis was sixth in the 15-18 girls 50-yard backstroke with a time of 30.69 and seventh in the 50-yard butterfly with a time of 29.10.

Three other Tiger Sharks garnered top eight finishes. Tyler Hart in the 9-10 boys was eighth in the 50-yard butterfly with a time of 38.72. Chandler Metz in the 11-12 boys division was seventh in the 50-yard butterfly with a time of 33.75. Donavan Aldridge in the 13-14 boys was seventh in the 50-yard butterfly with a time of 27.55.

Three more relay teams had top five finishes. The 6-and-under girls (Anna Margaret Lucas, Georgia Hathcock, Paislee Carroll, Madison Little) 100-yard freestyle was third earning white ribbons with a time of 1:59.87. The 11-12 boys (Chandler Metz, Aiden Nobles, Brady Adams, Braeden Yankey) 200-yard freestyle team was fifth with a time of 2:24.86. The same boys were seventh in the 11-12 200-yard freestyle with a time of 2:06.97.

The Tiger Sharks are coached by Donna Funderburk and Jamie Aldridge. Dora Bankester is a board member.

"We are proud of all of our swimmers," Bankester said. "They have worked hard this summer. We swim from May to July only. We would like to thank the Tallassee Recreation Department for their support and work on the pool this summer."

The Tiger Sharks consist of 93 registered swimmers, ages 4-18. Swimmers competed in 61 individual events and 18 relay events at the state meet. There were approximately 1,000 swimmers among the 24 teams present.

State Individual Qualifiers
Age 8 & under
Zeke Rigsby: 25 Freestyle, 25 Backstroke, 50 Freestyle
Anna Margaret Lucas: 25 Breaststroke, 25 Freestyle, 25 Backstroke
Ava Ingram: 25 Breaststroke
Georgia Hathcock: 25 Freestyle
Paislee Carroll: 25 Freestyle
McKinsey Pescia: 25 Freestyle
Madison Little: 25 Freestyle

Ages 9-10
Tyler Hart: 50 Breaststroke, 50 Butterfly, 50 Freestyle
Weston Lucas: 50 Breaststroke
Abigail Ingram: 50 Breaststroke, 50 Backstroke
Abigail Zinn: 50 Breaststroke, 100 Individual Medley
Audrey Weldon: 50 Breaststroke
Natalee Milton: 50 Freestyle, 100 Freestyle
Paige Hart: 50 Backstroke

Ages 11-12
Brady Adams: 50 Breaststroke, 50 Freestyle, 100 Freestyle
Braeden Yankey: 50 Breaststroke, 50 Freestyle, 50 Backstroke
Chandler Metz: 50 Freestyle, 100 Individual Medley, 50 Butterfly
Aiden Nobles: 50 Freestyle, 50 Backstroke, 100 Freestyle
Elise Soehren: 50 Breaststroke, 100 Individual Medley, 50 Butterfly
Kayson Atkins: 50 Breaststroke, 50 Backstroke
Amelia Ingram: 50 Breaststroke

Ages 13-14
Caden Metz: 50 Breaststroke, 50 Backstroke, 100 Freestyle
Donavan Aldridge: 50 Breaststroke, 100 Individual Medley, 50 Butterfly
Ethan Soehren: 50 Breaststroke, 100 Freestyle
Alta Bentley: 50 Butterfly, 100 Freestyle

Ages 15-18
Camden Mask: 50 Breaststroke, 100 Individual Medley
Geoffrey Dark: 100 Individual Medley
Corbin Grover: 100 Individual Medley
Ivy Davis: 100 Individual Medley, 50 Butterfly, 50 Backstroke
Auburn Weldon: 50 Backstroke
Cassie Grover: 50 Backstroke

State Relays
Medley 200 Yard Relays (Backstroke, Breaststroke, Butterfly, Freestyle): 9 Relay Teams
9-10 Boys:  Tyler Hart, Jimmy Bafford, Francklin Moyer, Weston Lucas
9-10 Girls (2 relay teams): Virginia Kate Scarborough, Abigail Ingram, Abigail Zinn, Audrey Weldon, Anna Claire Turner, Julia Higginbotham, Paige Hart, Jordyn Boatwright
11-12 Boys: Chandler Metz, Aiden Nobles, Brady Adams, Braeden Yankey
11-12 Girls: Kayson Atkins, Amelia Ingram, Shylar Cameron, McKenzie Little
13-14 Girls: Anslee Weldon, Ava Bankester, Emma Soehren, Elise Soehren
15-18 Boys (2 relay teams): Corbin Grover, Camden Mask, Adam Aldridge, Geoffrey Dark, Donavan Aldridge, Ethan Soehren, Caden Metz, Trevor Towery
15-18 Girls: Cassie Grover, Auburn Weldon, Alta Bentley, Ivy Davis

Free Style Relay: 9 Relay Teams
6 & under Girls 100 Relay: Anna Margaret Lucas, Georgia Hathcock, Paislee Carroll, Madison Little
9-10 Boys 200 Relay:  Tyler Hart, Jimmy Bafford, Francklin Moyer, Weston Lucas
9-10 Girls 200 Relay:  Virginia Kate Scarborough, Abigail Ingram, Abigail Zinn, Audrey Weldon
11-12 Boys 200 Relay: Chandler Metz, Aiden Nobles, Brady Adams, Braeden Yankey
11-12 Girls 200 Relay: Kayson Atkins, Amelia Ingram, Shylar Cameron, McKenzie Little
13-14 Girls 200 Relay: Anslee Weldon, Ava Bankester, Emma Soehren, Elise Soehren
15-18 Boys (2 relay teams) 200 Relay: Corbin Grover, Camden Mask, Adam Aldridge, Geoffrey Dark, Donavan Aldridge, Ethan Soehren, Caden Metz, Trevor Towery
15-18 Girls 200 Relay: Cassie Grover, Auburn Weldon, Alta Bentley, Ivy Davis