For the first time in school history, the Zizzer Swim Team is conference champions. Following the back-to-back Ozark Conference Championships by the Lady Zizzer Swim Team, the Zizzers claimed the inaugural Ozark Mountain Conference Title Tuesday night in Springfield at the John H. Foster Natatorium.
Junior Caleb Kentner got the night off to a great start by winning the Conference Championship in Diving. The Zizzers stumbled in the first relay with a disqualification but turned it around and had a great meet winning three other events. Sophomore Tanner Land won the 50 Freestyle. Sophomore Rhys Kerley won the 500 Freestyle; and the 200 Freestyle Relay of Junior Bryson Kittrell, Kentner, Sophomore Dane Kirby, and Kerley swam to a win. All of these wins are also awarded First Team All-Conference Honors.
The medals and conference honors continued to rack up throughout the night. Every Zizzer swimmer finished with 2 individual medals and conference honors. Kentner added to his win in diving with a 3rd place finish and All-Conference Honorable Mention in the 100 Breaststroke. Kittrell earned a 2nd place finish and 2nd Team in the 200 Individual Medley and a 3rd place medal and Honorable Mention in the 100 Freestyle. Kerley added a 2nd place medal and 2nd Team in the 100 Breaststroke. Land earned a 2nd place finish and 2nd Team in the 100 Freestyle. Kirby earned two 3rd place Honorable Mention medals in the 200 and 500 Freestyle. Morrison earned a 2nd place medal and 2nd Team in the 100 Backstroke along with a 3rd place Honorable Mention finish in the 100 Butterfly. The 400 Freestyle Relay consisting of Land, Kittrell, Kirby, and Morrison capped the night with a 2nd place medal and 2nd Team Honor.
“Starting the swim portion with a disqualification is never great,” stated Head Coach Ryan Smith, “but the way these swimmers bounced back and medaled in every other event to take the Conference Championship was phenomenal.”
The Zizzers topped Hillcrest by 10 points (218-208). Logan-Rogersville finished 3rd with 150 points. The Zizzers compete Saturday, October 26 at the Springfield Invitational before the Southwest Missouri Championships the following weekend, October 31-November 2.
- Ozark Conference Champions – (L to R – Dane Kirby, Tanner Land, Rhys Kerley, Caleb Kentner, Alec Morrison, Bryson Kittrell)
