By By ROBERT BLANKENSHIP
Advance Managing Editor
The Ernest Ward Swim Team recently competed in the Escambia County (Fla.) Swim Meet in Pensacola.
The girls placed eighth out of 13 teams competing. Their top performers included Cassie Godwyn who placed fifth in the 50-yard backstroke and won the 25-yard freestyle. Caitlyn Bryan placed tenth in the 50-yard breaststroke and 14th in the 50-yard freestyle. Also scoring points for the girls squad was Gina Spence and Ashley Hendrix.
In boys' competition, Miles Hollingsworth placed fourth in the 50-yard breast stroke and fifth in the 25-yard freestyle. Cody Norton placed fifth in the 50-yard breaststroke and sixth in the 25-yard freestyle. Brandon Sharpless placed eighth in the breaststroke and ninth in the freestyle competitions and Bryan Amerson placed seventh in the 100-yard medley and ninth in the 50-yard butterfly.
This marked the second straight year that the Ernest Ward girls have won the 25-yard freestyle event.
The boys team also finished in second place during the 100-yard freestyle relay. The team consisted of Sharpless, Amerson, Hollingsworth and Jeff Bell. Other boys receiving points were Austin
Eicher, Ben Hetzel, Jake Lowery and Tyler Ritchey.
Individual points were combined to determine team placements.
Swim coach Michael McCulley said he was proud of his team's placement.
The girls finished as runners-up for the division title while the boys earned the divisional championship. The boys also went undefeated through the regular season.
Team members competing in county were: Amerson, Bell, Andrew Bolen, Bryan, Eicher, Godwin, Hendrix, Amanda Hetzel, B. Hetzel, Hollingsworth, Kevin Kyles, Lowery, Norton, Ritchey, Hillary Rolin, Sharpless, Jarvis Slate and Spence.