The Monett Invite’s disqualification curse did not prevent one Lebanon boys relay team from later scoring a state qualifying time in a different relay, reported Coach David Krev.
Krev wrote that the curse of the Monett Invite, where the Lebanon boys competed Saturday, was that one of Lebanon’s relay teams always seems to get disqualified. This time it happened to the 200-yard medley relay team for swimming in the wrong heat.
“They stepped up to swim in the first heat because the lane was empty. It was supposed to be. The relay time would have 10th, earning 14 points,” he wrote.
However, when the same group, which consisted of freshman AJ Fisher, sophomore Jackson Guthrie, and juniors Wesley Frey and Hunter Fore, swam as a backup team in the 200-yard freestyle relay, they scored a state qualifying time of 2:05.63 minutes.
Krev also provided the rest of the results for the meet:
In the 200-yard freestyle, junior Eli Havens took third place (1:57.88 minutes), Fore took 12th (2:28.30 minutes) and Guthrie took 17th (2:48.24 minutes).
In the 50-yard freestyle, junior Jackson Fisher took third place (23.77 seconds), senior Lucas Keen took 12th (26.03 seconds), junior Braden Johnson took 27th (31.06 seconds), and Frey had a non-scoring time of 30.78 seconds.
In the 100-yard butterfly, Havens took first place (56.64 seconds).
In the 100-yard freestyle, Jackson Fisher took seventh (53.48 seconds), Keen took 13th (58.09 seconds), Johnson took 22nd (1:07.81 minutes) and Frey took 25th (1:11.20 minutes).
AJ Fisher took seventh in the 500-yard freestyle (6:26.34 minutes) and Guthrie took 11th (7:19.27 minutes).
In addition to the backup team’s time in the 200-yard freestyle relay, the team of Johnson, Keen, Havens and Jackson Fisher took fifth place (1:46.83 minutes).
AJ Fisher took 13th place in the 100-yard backstroke (1:23.52 minutes).
In the 100-yard breaststroke, Fore took 17th place (1:35.94 minutes).
The 400-yard freestyle relay team of Keen, Johnson, Havens and Jackson Fisher took fifth place (3:55.49 minutes).
The varsity boys next compete Thursday at the Carthage Invitational, which Krev said will be held at the Carthage YMCA.
The team’s schedule can be found in their respective section of the Missouri State High School Activities Association website. This schedule may change.
