Monett, Mo. — Carthage and Nevada each had strong showings in the 2025 MHS Boys Swim & Dive Invitational at the Monett Area YMCA Pool on Saturday.
Carthage Tigers Roar in Freestyle Events
The Carthage Tigers made their mark, particularly in the distance freestyle events, led by senior William Wright. Wright dominated the 500-yard freestyle, posting an impressive 5:02.38 to claim first place and 20 points for his team. His performance set the tone for Carthage’s strong showing in the relays, where the Tigers’ team of Brody Youngblood, Carter Yost, Colton Vitolla, and Wright—secured second place in the 200-yard freestyle relay with a time of 1:43.96, earning 34 points. The same quartet also excelled in the 400-yard freestyle relay, finishing fourth at 3:53.78 for 30 points.
Carthage’s depth was evident in individual events as well. Youngblood clocked a solid 56.44 in the 100-yard freestyle, finishing 10th, while Yost earned ninth in the 100-yard butterfly (1:17.78) and sixth in the 200-yard IM (2:33.79).
Dylan Evans also contributed valuable points, placing seventh in the 200-yard IM (2:35.16) and seventh in the 100-yard backstroke (1:15.04). Despite a disqualification in the 200-yard freestyle, Vitolla rebounded with a sixth-place finish in the 100-yard backstroke (1:14.89). Cayd Samuelson added points in the 100-yard butterfly (1:38.38) and 100-yard breaststroke (1:30.42).
Nevada High School Swimming Powers Through
Nevada’s team of Kolton Evans, Cooper Pennington, Andrew Russell, and Trace Gould stole the show in the 200-yard freestyle relay, clinching first place with a blazing 1:35.69, earning 40 points. They continued their momentum in the 400-yard freestyle relay, taking second place with a time of 3:37.67 for 34 points.
Individually, Evans led Nevada with a commanding performance in the 100-yard backstroke, winning with a time of 56.62 and earning 20 points. He also anchored the relay teams to their strong finishes. Gould was a force in the 100-yard breaststroke, taking first with a 1:03.27, and placed fourth in the 100-yard butterfly (1:01.49). Russell secured third in the 100-yard freestyle (51.94) and third in the 100-yard backstroke (1:01.87), while Pennington added a ninth-place finish in the 100-yard freestyle (57.34).
Freshman Kenny Evans contributed across events, notably placing sixth in the 200-yard freestyle (2:06.93) and ninth in the 100-yard freestyle (54.98).
Nevada’s younger swimmers also showed promise. Freshman Tyson Gould earned fourth in the 100-yard breaststroke (1:07.51), while Aidan Lightner and Nash Bronson added depth with finishes in the 100-yard butterfly and backstroke, respectively.