Posted on 02/26/2018
What a season it was for the Lady Viking swimmers from Francis Howell High School, a wave of success that peaked with a top four finish at the MSHSAA State Swim Meet. No FHHS team has ever made such a splash. However, their success in the pool pales in comparison to the success they have had in the classroom and the time given back to their community. These Lady Vikings are pulling together for the betterment of their school, community, and themselves.
The team swam well enough to finish in the Final Four, but the highlight of the meet was the 200 Free Relay of Emma Brabham, Natalie Nguyen, Madison Nguyen, and Reagan Cathcart. They not only won the State Championship, but also set a new Missouri high school record in the 200, with a time of 1:36.32 (the old record was 1:36.40, set by Blue Springs in 2006). Talk about making waves. But that’s not the only place where these swimmers are excelling.
“The girls swim program has had an impressive season both in the pool and out of the pool,” said Activities Director Sean Erwin. “They not only have made Viking fans proud with their first Final Four appearance in program history; but have also been positive role models in the classroom, where they hold a cumulative GPA over 3.8, and in the community, where they volunteer for KEEN.”
KEEN is a non-profit organization whose mission is to provide free recreational opportunities to children and young adults with disabilities. What the program needs most are athletes willing to donate their time and talents to pair with children and young adults. The Lady Vikings were quick to dive into the effort.
In addition, Cathcart, one of the new state record holders in the 200, spent her winter break in Ghana, volunteering for an organization called “Care 4 Ghana.” You can read about her trip on CBS St. Louis' website. KMOX-AM Radio, 1120, also produced a video about Cathcart’s trip.
These Lady Vikings are setting records, but they are also setting the example of what it means to be an FHHS Viking. Erwin said, “These young women are truly representative of what we want to see in all of our programs at Howell.”
Here are the State Finals Results:
200 Free Relay - State Champions - New State Record - (Emma Brabham, Natalie Nguyen, Madison Nguyen, and Regan Cathcart)
50 Free - 2nd Place - Reagan Cathcart
200 IM - 2nd Place - Emma Brabham
400 Free Relay - 3rd Place - (Emma Brabham, Natalie Nguyen, Madison Nguyen, and Regan Cathcart)
100 Fly - 5th Place - Emma Brabham
200 IM - 6th Place - Madison Nguyen
100 Free - 6th Place - Reagan Cathcart
100 Backstroke - 7th Place - Natalie Nguyen
100 Fly - 7th Place - Madison Nguyen
200 Free - 9th Place - Natalie Nguyen