Final meet for top swimmers held at Monett YMCA

By Murray Bishoff Special to the Monett Monthly

The Monett Waterthrashers swim team completed its season by hosting the league A division meet, held at the Monett Area YMCA on Aug. 1 and 2. 

This was the second weekend of competition. The B division meet, open to swimmers who have participated in three meets, was held the previous weekend at the Carthage YMCA pool. 

Monett is part of the Missouri-Kansas-Oklahoma league. Teams also include Carthage, Webb City, Joplin, Nevada, Lamar, and Kansas teams from Parsons, Chanute, and Fort Scott. 

A total of 138 swimmers participated at the A division meet, having met qualifying times for the competition. 

According to Ronda Azelton, Waterthrashers president, just under 40 swimmers competed for Monett this year, and participated in seven meets during the season. A total of 21 Waterthrashers swam at the A meet. “We had finalists in almost every division,” Azelton reported. 

The B meet saw 14 Monettans competing.

Top performers at the A meet were Jameson Barnes, first in the 200 meter freestyle; Alex Apostol, third in the 50 meter breaststroke; Oscar Dillon, second in the 50 meter fly; Oliver Dillon, first in the 50 meter backstroke and in the top five in his other events; Maia Owens, third in the 100 freestyle and second in the 50 meter breaststroke; and Reagan Azelton, third in the 200 individual medley and the 50 meter backstroke. Gabriella Apostol placed between fifth and eighth in her events. Letty Rinker finished in the top eight in her events. Rafe Owens placed in the top five in his races. 

Azelton added relay teams, each with four swimmers, scored several first place finishes. 

The Waterthrashers finished fourth in the league for the season. The Kraken Fair Acres team from Carthage, whose home base is the Carthage YMCA, won the Monett meet. 

Bob Crouthamel is the Waterthrashers’ head coach this season. Assistants were Jaayden Apostol and Kaitlyn Brisco Brindley. Practices for the team begin the Tuesday after Memorial Day at the Monett Area YMCA swimming pool. Interested persons can find the Waterthrashers swim team on either Sports Engine or Facebook for contact information. Other teams are welcome to join the league.