The Owensboro High School girls’ swim team finished third out of 23 teams at the Girls’ Night Out Invitational on Friday at the University of Louisville’s Ralph Wright Natatorium, knocking off some of the biggest programs in Kentucky and Cincinnati, Ohio.
Owensboro finished behind Ursuline Academy and Sacred Heart Academy. They beat out Assumption High School, Cincinnati St. Ursula Academy, North Oldham High School, duPont Manual High School and Notre Dame Academy.
Head coach Brad Schmied said Owensboro wasn’t able to take their full roster but still had a good showing.
“We were really a skeleton crew, as five of our athletes were unable to compete due to illness,” he said. “That left only six making the trip. We competed very well despite missing a number of athletes and surprised everyone with our third-place finish.
Schmied said several coaches didn’t even know who Owensboro was, so it was a good feeling taking out some top competition.
“Just seeing ‘Owensboro High School’ third on the scoreboard with all these powerhouse swim academies stands out, as it’s so unusual for a public school to be able to compete at this level,” he said. “We’re breaking up the monopoly and it feels good.”
As the top finishes continue to stack up for OHS, the program is starting to gain recognition across several states, and it’s giving a boost for the program.
TEAM RESULTS
200 medley relay (2nd, 1:53.54)
Julia Smith, Abby Warren, Samantha Phillips, Paige Neal
200 freestyle relay (5th, 1:43.09)
Abby Warren, Samantha Phillips, Paige Neal, Julia Smith
INDIVIDUAL RESULTS
Samantha Phillips (50 fly, 4th; 100 IM, 4th)
Julia Smith (100 back, 7th; 100 IM, 6th)
Paige Neal (50 free, 4th; 50 fly, 7th)
Abby Warren (50 free, 10th; 100 breast, 5th)
PERSONAL BESTS
Darby Haire (50 free, 100 back)
Sydney Cundiff (50 free, 100 back)
