State swimming: Fort Gibson relay nabs school first state title since 2014

Mike Kays, Muskogee Phoenix, Okla.
·3 min read

Feb. 24—Fort Gibson got a championship out of the Class 5A state swim meet at Edmond on Tuesday.

The Lady Tigers were runners-up to Carl Albert as a team but got a title in the 400-yard freestyle relay, in a time of 4 minutes, 2.50 seconds.

Sophomore Kaycie Farmer and three seniors — Sadie Allen, Taylor French and Haylee Schapp — edged second-place Heritage Hall (4:04.22). They got a big break in the prelims when state favorite and top seed Bishop McGuinness received a disqualification.

"We dropped a massive amount of time at regionals. Before that we were just trying to make the finals and when we got to state I thought we were sitting pretty well," said first-year coach Leslie White. "And when McGuinness DQed, that opened the door for us."

How long has it been since the Tigers or Lady Tigers were at the top of the podium? Try 2014 — the year White as a senior won the 100 meter breaststroke, missing the state record by .10 seconds, took second in the 200 medley and was a member of two relay champions, the 200 medley and 200 freestyle.

That was also the fourth consecutive team title under Connie Dean, who retired after last year's state meet.

The Lady Tigers had the top prelim time of 4:05.15. Heritage Hall sliced more time off its prelim — 3:40 to 2:25, but came up short. Edison was up six seconds to jump Altus into third.

"I'm proud of our seniors and that sophomore (Farmer), it's her first year of swimming ever," White said. "And we're in there battling against club swimmers."

Schapp, French, Allen and Riley Raasch finished third in the 200 medley relay in 2:06.60. In the 200 freestyle relay, Kassie Stach, Farmer, Anna French and Raasch were eighth in 1:59.77

Schapp collected a third in the 100 backstroke and fourth in the 200 individual medley. Her backstroke time was 1:02.82 and medley 2:20.82.

Taylor French was fifth in the 100 freestyle, 1:10.29; and sixth in the 100 free, 1:01.02.

Allen was seventh in the 100 butterfly, 1:10.41.

On the boys side, Fort Gibson's top finishes also came in the relays.

Colin Martin, Zach Hardy, Ben Watts and Dalton Ross teamed to finish third in the 200 freestyle relay, 1:36.45. Hardy, Brody Massad, Jack Kolb and Watts took third in the 400 free relay, 3:46.29.

Dalton Ross placed in two events, fourth in the 100 backstroke in 59.65 and sixth in the 100 freestyle, 50.65.

Martin was sixth in the 200 individual medley, 2:10.62. Hardy was seventh in the 50 freestyle, 24.11.

Overall the Tigers were fourth with 142 points. Bishop Kelley was boys team champ with 332 points.

The 6A and the area's lone participant, Meredith Stevenson of Muskogee, begin prelims Wednesday at Jenks with the finals on Thursday.