Semoball

Poplar Bluff's Raegen McAtee earns All-State swimming honors

ST. PETERS, Mo. — Raegan McAtee got her medal.

The Poplar Bluff senior finished eighth in the 100-yard butterfly at the MSHSAA Class 1 Swimming and Diving Championships in St. Peters, Missouri, on Saturday, earning her first All-State swimming medal.

“It was very special for Raegan to end her senior year up on that podium and get that medal she has been chasing her entire career.,” Poplar Bluff coach Beth Lewis-Muse said. “I’ve had the McAtee family with me for several years. Not only was it my last time with Raegan, but my last time with the McAtee family, as well … Very well deserved. She’s worked very hard to get there.”

Poplar Bluff as a team finished 19th with 37 points.

McAtee finished in 1 minute, 01 seconds in the championship race. Last year, she barely missed out on the championship race by finishing ninth in the prelims, but then in the honorable mention race, McAtee posted a faster time than the girl who ultimately finished eighth in the championship race.

Paige Bradley earned an All-State honorable mention in the 50 freestyle after finishing 10th in 25.35. She also finished 26th in the diving competition after having a full day of swimming on Friday and then having to wake up early Saturday morning for the diving competition.

Peyton Moore, fresh off a trip to Disney World to compete at the national championships with the Poplar Bluff cheerleading team, finished 27th in the diving competition. Bradley earned 131.75 points while Moore had 131.10 points.

The 200 freestyle relay team of Audrey Cisne, Simone Anders, McAtee and Bradley also earned an All-State honorable mention after finishing 12th with a season-low time of 1:57.44.

“Every relay that swam, they are all ending with their fastest of the season,” Lewis-Muse said. “As a coach, you can’t ask for anything better than that.”

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