Still early in the season, Smith-Cotton boy’s swim and dive have proven competitive against the West Central Conference.
Having defeated St. Pius X at the Platte County Invitational last week, Smith-Cotton returned home and earned another head-to-head conference victory Monday, Aug. 30 over Warrensburg in a meet with Rock Bridge, Battle, Hickman and Marshall at Arbisi pool at Sedalia Middle School.
The S-C Tigers also outscored Battle and Marshall on the dual meet scorecard.
Smith-Cotton head coach Jerry Tankersley said strong outings may provide necessary incentive for the team, which begins its morning practice routine this week.
“Actually beating Pius in a pretty big meet and bea ting Warrensburg head-to-head, that’s good before we start a big push,” Tankersley said. “We have a chance. But, we start mornings this week, and that’s going to be brutal.”
Tankersley said Smith-Cotton’s divers — Felix Sultan, Peyton Camirand and Isaiah McNeil — provide an advantage. Most teams in the WCC do not have divers, likely granting S-C points in later meets. The Smith-Cotton trio claimed first, second and third at the meet Tuesday.
“Our divers are huge,” Tankersley said. “Not many schools have diving, so that’s a big amount of points.”
Sultan, Yeager Coen, Mike Husyev and Andriy Usyk placed fourth in the 200-yard medley relay in 2 minutes and 18.56 seconds. Warrensburg won the event in 1:51.76.
Joshua Osorio and Jeremy Acosta earned a pair of top-five finishes. Osorio was fourth in the 50-yard freestyle in 26.04 seconds and was fifth in a 100-yard fly in 1:02.07.
Acosta, a freshman, was fourth in the 200-meter individual medley in 2:19.51 and fourth in the 100-yard backstroke in 1:03.94.
Sultan, Osorio, Acosta and Lake Mitchell finished third in the 200-yard freestyle relay in 1:47.50 behind Rock Bridge and Hickman, which placed first.
Smith-Cotton travels to Raytown for a meet Wednesday, Sept. 7 scheduled for 4 p.m.
