Lily Terwilliger CFNN Swim Reporter

On Thursday, the Cape Fear Men’s Swimming team blew it out of the water with a win over Terry Sanford by 33 points. 

To start off the meet there was a new relay set featuring Vinny Zerhoudi, Hudson McFayden, Seth Thomas, and Ethan Smith in the 200 Yard Medley Relay. They came in first place almost a full 2 seconds before Terry Sanford, securing 40 points for the team. They set a personal record (PR) for the season with a time of 2:01.11, once again qualifying for regionals.

Ethan Smith is a new swimmer from Key West, Florida. He was happy to join the Colts’ team and help pull out another win as the newest Colts swimmer. When asked how he felt about the team and the meet, Smith said he is looking forward to “swimming even better in the next meet and seeing all the PR ducks being handed out.”

The next boys event was swam by Jackson Autry again and newcomer Spencer Perez in the 200 Yard Freestyle. Autry came in first with a time of 2:26.60, about a second faster than last week, earning 20 points for the Colts. Perez finished fourth with a time of 2:43.40, securing 15 points.

In the boys 200 Yard IM, Seth Thomas and Hudson McFayden went at it again securing 1st and 5th place respectively. Thomas got first with a time of 2:36.90, 4 seconds faster than last week once again qualifying for regionals. McFayden came in fifth with a time of 3:00.79, about 2 seconds faster than last week, securing 14 points.

The Colts took 1st and 4th place in the 50 Yard Freestyle. Ethan Smith locked down a first place win with a time of 25.10, about .70 seconds faster than last week. Jake Grownoski finished in 4th place, with a time of 28.74, although he notched an exciting 1st place win in his heat.

In the boys 100 Yard Butterfly, Vinnie Zerhoudi and Jed Coon finished 1st and 4th place respectively. Zerhoudi, with a time of 1:06.29, was a second behind his pace from last week, although he still qualified himself for regionals. Coon’s 4th place time of 1:32.50 was his first recorded time swimming this exhausting event.

In the 100 Yard Freestyle, Ethan Smith and Spencer Perez locked down 1st and 3rd place respectively. Smith swam a 1st place finish with a time of 59.38, earning 20 points for the Colts. Perez came in 3rd with a time of 1:07.31, securing 16 points.

Gronowski and Ben Brinker then swam the grueling 500 Yard Freestyle, finishing in 1st and 3rd place respectively. Gronowski finished with a time of 7:46.34, locking in 20 team points. Brinker’s time of 7:46.85 was over 35 seconds faster than last week. 

In the 200 Yard Freestyle Relay our Colts, Thomas, McFayden, Autry, and Gronowski got a second place finish with a time of 1:53.58, adding 34 points for the team.

The 100 Yard Backstroke was swam by Zerhoudi and Autry, where they secured 1st and 2nd place respectively. Zerhoudi came in 1st place with a time of 1:14.95, qualifying himself for regionals. Coon came in 3rd with a time of 1:25.74, earning 16 team points.

A successful 100 Yard Breaststroke left Thomas and McFayden with qualifying times for regionals. Thomas came in 1st with a time of 1:19.16, about 2 seconds faster than last week, securing 20 points. McFayden came in 4th with a time of 1:22.21 for 15 points.

In the last race of the meet, the boys 400 Yard Freestyle Relay secured a 1st place win and a time of 4:27.48, over 15 seconds faster than last week, and once again qualifying for regionals. Zerhoudi, Autry, Coon, and Smith took the 40 points for their team.

Come out and support the swim team in their last seasonal meet before conference at FSU on January 18th.