By RAY BENTON
Leader sports editor
The Sherwood Sharks and Cabot Piranhas each won their second meets of the season last Saturday, continuing a crash course for each other in July, when the two largest teams in the Central Arkansas Swim League will face one another in the regular-season finale.
The Sherwood Sharks went into Bryant for their second swim meet of the season last Saturday and won in dominant fashion, 1,034 to 432. It was the Sharks’ second win of the season, and continues their win streak that is now in season 12.
In the 6 and under boys’ division, Malik Hatcher won every event he swam.
Jacob Dunn, Doug Gaylor, Russell Lipsey and Noah Keen dominated the boys’ 7-8-year old division, trading wins amongst each other in each event. In the 9-10 age division, Meredith Lipsey continued her domination of the age group, recording a win in every performance. In the 11-12 year old age division, Ashley Jackson made a splash in her first year in the age group, winning the 100-yard individual medley.
In the 13-14 year old division Betsie Ponder made her season debut, sharing wins with Shelby Stanley.
In the 15-18 year old division, team veteran Ian Heye also made his season debut, recording two wins over older competitors.
“Despite having our normal practice schedule disrupted this week with the Harmon Center pool maintenance issues, the kids took advantage of the pool time we had available and are still improving despite the obstacles.” Coach Mary Jo Heye said.
The next swim for the sharks is June 25 against Conway in Sherwood, where they will have their first home meet of the season, looking to set new pool records in front of a friendly home crowd.
The Piranhas were in a much closer battle with Conway at the Lakewood pool in North Little Rock. Conway won most of the upper-level events in the younger age groups, while Cabot’s older swimmers made up the difference to lead the Piranhas to a 505-389 win. Lakewood finished with 285 points.
Kolton Fulcher recorded a platinum level time in winning the gold level 50-yard breaststroke in the boys’ 12-under division. In the same age group, Piranha Brock Godbee recorded a platinum level 34.61 in the 50-yard backstroke while Fulcher was second with a gold level 39.44.
Piranha veteran Abigail Breedlove won the platinum division 50-yard freestyle in the girls’ 18-under group.
Cabot will host Otter Creek on Saturday.
Thomas Heye contributed to this story
