From Staff Reports

SULPHUR — A pair of Southwest La. swimmers medaled at the Louisiana High School Athletic Association championship swim meet this weekend at the Sulphur Parks and Recreation Aquatic Center.

On Thursday, St. Louis Catholic senior William Bright brought home a pair of silver medals in Division III. He took second in the 100-yard breaststroke at 1:02.86 and in the 200 individual medley with a time of 2:08.46.

Bright nearly medaled in a third event when he and teammates Thomas Alley, Andrew Findley and Jake Wing finished fourth in the 200 freestyle relay less than two seconds behind the third place team from Patrick F. Taylor (1:37.78). They also took fifth in the 200 medley relay (1:54.55).

The Saints finished fifth in the Division III boys team standings with 133 points. E.D. White won the the team state championship with 465.5 points.

In the Division I meet on Saturday, Sulphur junior Conner Vidrine finished strong to jump from fourth to third in the final 50 yards of the 100 backstroke for a bronze medal with a time of 54.07 seconds.

Four area swimmers had top five finishes, including three freshmen.

Sam Houston junior Madalyn Smith was fifth in the 100 breaststroke on Saturday morning in the Division II meet with a time of 1:13.18.

In Thursday’s Division III meet, Westlake freshman Talen Garrard missed a medal by less than a second after placing fourth in the 100 freestyle (51.19). He was also fifth in the 50 freestyle (23.10), .29 seconds from making the podium.

Also in Division III, St. Louis Catholic freshman Cora Diedrich was fifth in the 500 freestyle (6:19.08).

Lake Arthur freshman Slade Legros was fourth in the Division IV 100 backstroke (1:03.73) and fifth in the 500 freestyle (5:52.97) on Thursday.