Chelsea Strutton

Writer

With months of practice preparing them, the Marlow High School swim team made history on Friday and Saturday, Feb. 21-22, by attending OSSAA’s 2020 5A State Swim Meet in Jenks, Okla.

With their send off taking place on Thursday, Feb. 20, the five attending members embarked on the two and a half hour drive to Jenks, Okla., where they would be competing against a total of twenty-seven other high school teams throughout the weekend.

Keeping their heads above water throughout their events on the first day, freshmen Karsten Terrell, Gage DaVoult and Morgan Warren qualified for the state finals in their individual races.

Alongside the individual races, the boys team also qualified for finals in their 200 yard freestyle relay.

With all five members progressing to finals, the team was able to accomplish the goal that they all set out to do at the beginning of the season.

With only a few months experience in swimming competitively, freshman Luke Banks expressed how he felt about attending the Swim State Championship.

“I felt really good about attending state,” said Banks. “Since it was my first year, I didn’t think I would make it to state.”

Having improved phenomenally since the beginning of the season, Banks has grown stronger through each practice and has made memories alongside his team that will last him a lifetime.

When asked what he has gained from his participation on the swim team, Banks acknowledged his growth throughout the season.

“I’ve learned so much – like how if you really put your mind to something, you can do it,” stated Banks. “When I started, I had a hard time doing a 50, and now I do the 500.”

On Saturday, Feb. 22 during finals, the boys team swam their last relay of the season together and placed ninth in the 200 yard freestyle by swimming the race in one minute and forty-four seconds.

Averaging twenty-six seconds each, the four boys made miraculous improvement since their first meet on Nov. 8, 2019, when they averaged thirty-four seconds each during the 200 meter medley relay.

Alongside dropping times, the team’s friendship has grown through their strong dedication and long hours they each have put into the sport.

Having swam his last high school meet, senior Caleb Warren spoke about his experience on the team and the lessons he has learned throughout the four month season.

“This swim season I feel like I learned the importance of a team by trusting the people that are also counting on me in return,” explained Caleb. “Our relays helped me grow closer to the people on them.”

When asked how he felt about his performance during preliminaries and finals, Caleb’s response broadcasted his strong devotion to the sport.

“Being sick the week-of limited my abilities, but I feel like I did my best and gave it my all,” said Caleb.

Out of a total of twenty-five teams, the four boys placed ninth in the men’s division with a total of 69 points despite being significantly smaller than their competition.

Defeating much larger schools such as Piedmont, Guymon and Chickasha, the men’s team were able to prove that hard work far outweighs other factors in a competition.

Having placed eighth in the 100 yard fly and 200 yard freestyle, DaVoult spoke about how it was the team’s dedication that helped them accomplish their goals despite having the odds against them in only having four boys participating.

“I learned that even if you have a small team, you can still win and place pretty high,” stated DaVoult.

Receiving fourth place in the 500 yard freestyle and fifth place in the 200 yard freestyle, Terrell also addressed the team’s small size.

“You don’t need a big team to be good,” explained Terrell. 

The boys were not the only successful individuals participating on behalf of Marlow High.

Representing MHS in the women’s division, Morgan Warren placed twenty-second against twenty-seven much larger women’s teams.

Morgan received thirteenth place in the 500 yard freestyle and 200 yard freestyle, making herself a well-known individual to the competing women’s teams.

When asked what she has learned from the swim team, Morgan’s response was very similar to her teammate’s, proving that the team has worked in harmony throughout the season.

“I have learned that with the right mindset, I can accomplish more than I thought I could do,” said Morgan. “My teammates are so encouraging and supportive, and I’m thrilled to be able to train with them all time.”

Morgan continued with her goal for the future of the MHS swim team, encouraging students to join for the many unforgettable experiences that are well worth the long hours spent practicing for future swim meets.

“I would love to get more people out on our team,” explained Morgan. “It’s a great way to make friends and stay fit.”

Despite the season ending, the team will continue to strengthen their friendships and support one another through each of their individual endeavors.

Anticipated to grow in numbers and their successes, the Marlow High School swim team has a bright future ahead of them.