Article by Alexia Cardamone
Norfolk’s boys’ swim team became the first team, outside of Omaha or Lincoln, to win silver at the state meet in Lincoln since 1972. The meet started off slowly for The Panthers when they got eighth in a relay, putting them in fourth overall. Cameron Carney turned things around for the Panthers by winning two golds in the 50 freestyle and the 100 freestyle. Carney also led two relay teams that finished second.
Carney plans to continue his swimming career at Grand Canyon University next year. He wanted to break 21 seconds in the 50 free but got a 21.20 and walked away with a gold medal. Earlier in the season Carney swam a 21.02 in the 50 which is the ninth fastest in state history.
“Being a senior I’m glad to end on this note, it’s definitely hitting my heart and my mind’s going crazy right now but I’m just glad to be with the guys I have right now” Kasten Walker, senior, who got 9th in the 100 freestyle, said.
“We came out and swam amazing, this has been the dream all year, to get down here and do what we did, it felt like a dream. We just set ourselves up so well. Everyone swam to their best abilities, we got it done.” Carney said.
Norfolk’s 200 and 400 freestyle relay were the races that got the ball rolling putting them in second place. The final race came and the Panthers led in the first three legs of the 400 relay and were only beat by a second.
David Nelson, boys head swim coach, remembers being told that no team outside of Omaha or Lincoln had even a chance at getting second at the state meet.
“That’s always kind of served as a motivation, I felt like we could compete with them. Whether or not we could win, I don’t know, but I thought we could compete with them. ” Coach Nelson, said.
For more great articles by NHS Students, see the March 2017 Panther Newspaper!
