The West Plains Lady Zizzer Swim Team hosted their very first meet at the Civic Center Tuesday. The Lady Zizzers have been waiting eight years to host in West Plains. With the support of the West Plains R-VII School District, the West Plains Waves Swim Club, the Civic Center, Missouri State University-West Plains, the City of West Plains, the Zizzer Swim program’s numerous sponsors, and the community, their first hosted meet was a huge success! The meet ran smoothly and had a great turnout from the community.
On the competition side, the Lady Zizzers swam away from the competition winning ten of the eleven events and earning team wins over Poplar Bluff, Bolivar, Marshfield, and Seymour to begin their season 4-0. Coach Ryan Smith, in his sixth year as head coach of the Lady Zizzers said, “Event after event, I saw the girls attacking and competing! With so many new swimmers in their first official high school meet, I was proud of how they competed like veterans.”
Junior Paige Sheridan and Sophomore Evie Niesen both earned two individual first place finishes. Sheridan won the 100 meter Butterfly (1:14.65) and the 100 meter Breaststroke (1:23.46). Niesen won the 200 meter Freestyle (2:23.53) and the 100 meter Backstroke (1:16.98). Other individual event winners include: Freshman Roz Fiorino in the 200 meter Individual Medley (2:41.73), Junior Trinity Wake in the 100 meter Freestyle (1:10.99), and Junior Abbie Peugh in the 400 meter Freestyle (5:34.54).
The Lady Zizzers were also able to win all three relays. The 200 meter Medley Relay (2:16.10) was won by Addie Peugh, Niesen, Sheridan, and Fiorino. The 200 meter Freestyle Relay (2:01.40) was won by Sheridan, Ad. Peugh, Audrey Land, and Fiorino. The 400 meter Freestyle Relay (5:25.12) ended the night with a win by four newcomers to the Lady Zizzers: Aubrey Gross, Lily York, Lilli Wake, and Penelope Autry.
To go along with those seven individual and three relay wins, the Lady Zizzers swept the second place spot in every individual event and finished third in three individual events. They also added a second place finish in the 200 meter Medley Relay.
In all, out of 27 events competed by the eleven-member squad, the Lady Zizzers had 22 finishes in the Top 3! They won their duals by the following scores: over Poplar Bluff 121-46, over Bolivar 124-35, over Marshfield 118-36, and over Seymour 125-12.
Up Next: @ Glendale in Springfield Friday, December 9 and @ Winnetonka Holiday Invitational in North Kansas City Saturday, December 10
