Arrow swim team begins 2023 season

By Clinton Courier | September 12, 2023 |

Special to The Clinton Courier

The Clinton Arrow 2023 swim team includes thirty-six swimmers in grades seven through twelve from Clinton Junior High School, Sumner Hill Junior High School and Clinton High School. Under the direction of Coach Marcy Rushing, who is in her fifth year coaching the team, and Assistant Coach Leigh Ferris McGee, in her second year, the team will compete in four meets during regular season, and all swimmers are working to meet the MHSAA Class II qualifying times for the North State Meet on October 14 at Delta State Aquatics Center in Cleveland, Mississippi. Team Captains are Clara McCombs and Carson Dowd.

This year’s Clinton Arrow swim team includes seventh graders Presley Adkisson, Abigayle Breaux, Emily Fortenberry, Ross Gordon, Micah Johnson, Avery Peacock, Brayden Shumaker, Koreigh Sprowles, Abby Sumrall, Reed Watts and Allesandra Witsberger; eighth graders Elizabeth Boone, Riley Byas, Riley Cloyd, Emory Graham, Ellie Rushing and Aaron Smith; freshmen Kate Gilliam, Hayes Montgomery, Spencer Rhodes, Joshua Ross, Abbie Rushing, Pace Rundlett, Aleyna Taylor, George Trotter and Tejasvi Uppu; sophomores Maddy Breaux, Clara McCombs, Riley Parham, Eljah Pennington, Ashlee Sumrall and Selah Snow; and seniors Carson Dowd, Luke Parham, Sarah Rhodes and Rosemary Williamson. The team is coached by Marcy Rushing and Leigh Ferris McGee.

The team started the season on August 19 at a meet at Cypress Lake in Madison, where nine swimmers, as well as a boys’ relay team and two girls’ relay teams, all qualified for the North State Meet. Overall, both the boys’ and girls’ teams finished in third at the meet. Carson Dowd won his individual event, taking first place in the 50-yard freestyle, with a time of 22.78 seconds. Hayes Montgomery finished second in the 200-yard individual medley, with a time of 2:16.00. He also finished second in the 100-yard fly, with a time of 1:03.20. Reed Watts finished third in the boy’s 100-yard backstroke, with a time of 1:13.29, and Ashlee Sumrall finished third in the girls’ 100-yard backstroke, with a time of 1:18.81. Multiple other swimmers also placed in the top five in their meets.

The team’s remaining regular season meets include September 16 at the Flowood Aquatic Center, September 23 versus Vicksburg, and September 30 at the Last Chance Meet in Flowood.
The top eight individuals and the top eight relays at the North State Meet on October 14 will qualify for the MHSAA State Meet in Tupelo on October 20.

Rushing said she is excited for the 2023 Season.

“Last year, we took fifteen swimmers to North State and ten to State Meet,” said Rushing. “I hope to exceed that this year. We have a young team, and I see opportunity to grow the program.”