Area’s Top Swimmers & Divers Descend Upon the Owensboro Health Park this Weekend for the 2nd Region Swim & Dive Meet
By Perry Swack
The area’s top swimmers and divers head to the Owensboro Health Park for the 2nd Region Swim and Dive Meet that will take place on Friday, February 3 and Saturday, February 4. The Bowling Green Purples are looking to clinch their eighteenth-straight team title but will be challenged by an array of teams in the region. “The season has been going well so far,” reflected longtime BG swim coach Dee Wilkins. “We are undefeated in dual meets and finished first in the Best of the West earlier this year.” One reason for the strong season has been Cooper Reynolds. The senior has set three pool records in the 50 freestyle, 100 freestyle, and 100 backstroke for the Purples who are looking to win an eighteenth-consecutive region championship. That has been the main focus for Wilkins and his squad.
Other teams that are expected to challenge the Purples include South Warren, Greenwood, and Owensboro Catholic. South Warren, Greenwood, and Warren East all train together under the banner of the Warren County Swim & Dive Team. Coach Andrew “Zig” Allan has been encouraged by the team’s work ethic and camaraderie across schools. “It’s been really exciting and inspiring to see the swimmers from different schools come together and support one another during practice and in meets,” he said. “They supported one another, held their own, and made their name known against local and regional opponents and outside competition.”
A few swimmers expected to perform well at the region meet includes Greenwood’s Sarah Zoellner and Landon Badstibner. Zoellner, a Florida Gulf Coast swim commit, is the top seed in the 200 IM and the 100 butterfly, while Badstibner is the top seed in the 200 free and 500 free. Allan expects the Gator relay teams to perform well and hopefully qualify for the state meet in Lexington in two weeks time.
As for South Warren, expectations are through the roof after continuing to impress at the region and state level. Though the Spartans have yet to dethrone the Purples in combined points, Allen thinks this might be the year. “They have a shot to win the whole meet with combined points,” Allen noted. “They are at a disadvantage not having any divers, but even so, they will be a challenge to overcome.” The Spartans’ strength will be in their relays. “Both the boys’ and girls’ relay teams will have a shot at gold and look to secure their automatic bid to the state meet at UK.” Both the boys’ and girls’ teams have finished top-2 in the 2nd Region in each of the last three seasons (with the South Warren girls winning it all in 2021).
As coach of the entire Warren County Swim and Dive Team, Allen also coaches the Warren East Raiders. “Briley Choate, Haley Wilson, Kendall Meeks, and Abigail Harbin will come together in the 200 medley and 400 free looking to earn a spot in the finals against the best in the region.”
Both coaches mentioned a familiarity with the Owensboro Health Park that will hopefully help them navigate the waters this weekend. “We are very familiar with the health park,” Coach Wilins said. “Over the years, we have had a lot of success there and we hope we can continue it again this year.” Allen echoed these sentiments for the Warren County teams. “It’s a great facility that can host many swimmers with great ventilation. “Being a bigger, accommodating facility, a facility our swimmers associate with championship meets and loading up on buses to get there really gets them excited and ready to swim fast!”
The Sporting Times will have a full recap on the 2nd Region Swim and Dive meet at the beginning of next week!
