After the first day of competition at the NJCAA National Swim Meet, the Barton men stand in fifth place and the Barton women 10th. A good start to the school’s initial national swim meet.
Keagan Wilson had the highest finish of the day for Barton, taking seventh in the 50y freestyle for the men. Wilson swam a 21.62. Also placing in the event in the B final was Williams Spitz with a time of 21.63 for 10th.
Also swimming in the 50y free was Elijae Draper, whose preliminary time of 23.23 just missed a spot in the A or B finals. Noah Childs swam a 23.55, Corey Harbaugh a 23.63, and Austin Levingston with a 27.43.
Sean Williams was the first Cougar to make the medal stand with his eighth place finish in the 50y breast stroke. Williams took eighth with a time of 28.74. Elijah Draper finished 13th.
Phane Pedigo finished 20th in the 1000y freestyle in a time of 11:49.55.
The Cougars’ 200y medley relay team came in fifth with a time of 1:37.62. Dawson Gantenbein started the relay off with the back stroke, Williams swam the breast stroke, Wilson the butterfly and Spitz the freestyle.
For the women, Reagan Smyth had the best individual finish on the day, taking 13th in the 50y freestyle in 25.61. Kayla Hennan was 14th in the 50y breast stroke in a time of 34.56. Sydney Williams was 16th in the 1000y freestyle with a time of 12:22.32.
The quartet of Mercedes Mahakijkittichai, Hennan, Smyth and Williams took 10th in the 200y medley relay with a time of 2:30.33.

Men Team Scores – Day 1
Indian River 290, South Georgia St. 110.5, Monroe 108, Southwestern Oregon 101, Barton 61, Iowa Central 59, Lincoln 56.5, Genesee 47, Erie 24, Iowa Lakes 17, Herkimer 14.

Women Team Scores – Day 1
Indian River 326, South Georgia St. 123, Southwestern Oregon 91, Lincoln 87, Erie 74, Iowa Lakes 73, Iowa Central 69, Monroe 52, Fashion Institute 51, Barton 22, Jamestown 15, Genesee 11, Herkimer 11.