The Big Ridge Raiders went to Red Bank for their first meet of the Chattanooga Area Swim League season two weeks ago and left with a disappointing five-point loss.
Since that day, the Gators had cruised to three straight wins while Big Ridge had won their next two. The big rematch was Monday evening at Big Ridge and the Raiders evened the score just a little bit with a 412-391 victory.
Without question, these two teams are the best in the CASL’s White division and the issue will be settled for sure on Monday when these teams meet for the third time at Red Bank.
Monday’s meet was nip and tuck from the start with the Ra”iders holding a slim 255-252 lead midway through, but the Gators were missing some key individuals and that really hurt at the end when Big Ridge stretched their lead with big wins in the relays.
Both of the head coaches have been coaching for a long time – Marcie Smith of Big Ridge now in her eighth year leading the Raiders while Ken Buchanan is now in his 38th season in charge of the Red Bank program.
These two have also known each other a long time – we won’t tell you just how many years – but they were in elementary school together at OLPH. They also have a profound for each other and their respective teams.
“We were missing some key kids tonight, but I’m really pleased with the way we swam as we showed we know how to really dig in at times,” Buchanan said shortly after the final score had been announced.
“It could have been closer, but we had some really good swims and overall, it was just a really good meet. We still have some small stuff to work on like our flip turns and we have to learn how to swim with a purpose, but we’ve had a great season so far and it’s a long way from over,” the veteran coach added.
Smith said before the meet was close to over that she spends more than her share of time doing “homework,” just trying to figure where the best spot for her kids might be and how they match with other teams in individual races.
“Ken and I go way back and have a lot respect for each other, but we also have two pretty evenly-matched teams,” she said toward the end of the butterfly races.
“There’s a lot of heart on both sides and we have a lot of respect, but I just try to find the strength of our kids in every meet we have. Our season is not over as we’ll see them again on Monday, but we seem to learn something from every meet and now is not the time to rest,” Smith nodded.
Logan Carroll and Kate White both maxed out with 19 points for the Raiders while Noah Keener was next with 18. Megan Gill, Millie Watson and Quinn Young all had 17 points while Ashton Conibear finished with 16.
Addilyn Mayo, Noah Blake and Caleb Ross all had 19 points for the Gators while Madelaine Ellis had 16.
Big Ridge had 18 swimmers who scored at least 10 points while Red Bank had 15 and that was probably the difference in the meet.
Big Ridge will travel to Cleveland on Thursday for its next meet while Red Bank will host Cumberland on Thursday before the next big battle at Red Bank on Monday.
MONDAY’S HIGH-POINT SCORERS:
RED BANK:
19 – Addilyn Mayo, Noah Blake, Caleb Ross
16 – Madelaine Ellis
15 – Audrey Mayo, Jem Robertson
14 – Avalie Bilbrey, Benton Bilbrey
13 – Adalia Ross
12 – James Atchley, Lilah Blanchard, Lilly Robertson
11 – Caleb Grass, Natalie Emerson
10 – Anna Catherine Atchley.
BIG RIDGE:
19 – Logan Carroll, Kate White
18 – Noah Keener
17 – Megan Gill, Millie Watson, Quinn Young
16 – Ashton Conibear
15 – Benson Wright, Lander Smith, Nathan Jungels, Jade Skiba, Gracin Smith, Haley Clark
13 – Caroline Coode, Eli Haupert
12 – Addi Crowe
11 – Blakely Martin, Camden Ross.
FAIRYLAND:
19 – Frances Bohner, Emmy Cole
18 – Ben Bevill
17 – Maxwell Ball, Adelaide Bond
15 – Lily Cole, Catherine Carr
14 – Campbell Naggar
13 – Millie Sharplin, Ellis McGinness
11 – Aubrey Cole, Ari Bond
10 – Davidson Koehl, Carson Gaither.
WATERDOGS:
19 – Gracelyn Dauphinais, Jack Cuison, Carter Gray, Christian Chai
17 – Davis Turner, Alice Torchick
16 – Timothy Collier, Marit Chapman
15 – Sam English
14 – Brooklyn Shumway
12 – Kyle Cuison
11 – Ezekiel Kyle, Knox Berry
10 – Ella Cuison, Keerik Allen, Laura Ward.
SIGNAL MOUNTAIN:
19 – Claire Williams
17 – Luke Russell
14 – Kaylee Greene
13 – Jacob Greene, Nissa Ruth
11 – Vincent Porter, Liam Hewitt.
OOLTEWAH:
19 – Easton Daniel, Anna Boyd, Jed Holliman, Noah Holliman, Keilah Holliman
17 – Shiwoo Song, Kaci Lambeth, Nolan Holt, Calynn Daniel
15 – Nora Pace, Gunnar Corvin, Carmyn Watkins
14 – Max Emmert
13 – Bryson Lake
12 – Luke Oliver, Cheyenne Carver
11 – Wilder Erhard, Ellie Corvin, Sophie Grier, Estella Salera
10 – Peyton Erhard, Mason Murphy.
CUMBERLAND:
19 – Zach Schurr, Lydia Mizutani
17 – James Chatard, Jude Carpenter
14 – Lola Phipps, Marin Bennett
13 – Ingrid Michael, Carter Young, David Davenport, Ellie Grubbs, Kathryn Plemons
11 – Landry Hubbard
10 – Rosey Honeycutt.
CLEVELAND:
19 – Reed Blackmon, Elias Eldred, Addie Taubert, Kevin Curley, Carol Lynn Elliott
15 – Olivia Hughes, Teddy Elliott
14 – Sophie Hughes, Joseph Scully, Ashley Pesterfield
13 – Jaxon Moseley
12 – Caroline Kate Elrod, Nathan Jossart, Santiago Eldred
11 – Ben Condo, Abigail Parrish, Andrew Rutledge
10 – Logan Gregory, Sophia Hildebrand, Elana McNeese, Lee Elliott.
STUART HEIGHTS:
19 – Molly Mae Ransom
17 – Sage Sillery, Ridge Folmar
16 – Abigail Keener, Joseph Myers
15 – Stephen Myers, Harper Clardy
14 – Max Shaw, Margaret Daniel, Alice Aupperle, Maddie Orth
13 – Janessa Steele
11.5 – Will White
11 – Jameson Halbert
10 – Madison Rogers, Nolan Taylor, Ava Shaw.
CALHOUN:
19 – Jonah Ogas
17 – Cassidy Gray, Reese Bagwell
15 – Brady Smith, Atticus Stephens, Hudson Nimon, Jocelyn Chance
14 – Grayson Howell
13 – Keegan Carter, Sam Rice
12.5 – Dodd Cornelison
12 – William Rickett, Landon Travis, Ethan Gibson, Jasmin Lawson
11 – Annie Eickman
10 – Emiel DeBruyne, Morgan Cox.
DALTON:
19 – Vincent Bash
18 – Favio Caceres
17 – Sebastian Rodriguez
16 – Sophie Martinez
15 – Layla Brackett, Avery Loftis
13 – Romeo Lopez
12 – Georgia Brackett, Harper Loftis
11 – Joseph Moore
10 – Eli Mickelson, Matthew Martinez
COUNTRY CLUB:
19 – Zeke House, Dru Grant IV, Sloane Graham
17 – Margaret Stinnett, Monna Yu, Eliana Tabibiazar, Caroline Hatfield
16 – Evie Ranalli, Lucinda Ranalli
15 – Cooper Webb
14 – Miles Kirksey
13 – Isaiah Summey
12.5 – Ronan Connellan
12 – Ryan Ellis, Gracie Manning, Cooper Brooks, Cate Bowman
11 – Eleanor Kates
10 – Hannah Tasker.
(Email John Hunt at nomarathonmoose@gmail.com)