Lincoln County High School sophomore Woods Smith had a strong showing at the region swimming and diving finals.

Smith became the first Patriot swimmer to qualify for the 2018 KHSAA State Swimming and Diving Championships when he claimed the runner-up spot in the 50-yard freestyle and made the cut in at-large times in the 100-yard freestyle at the Region 6 Championships at the Falling Springs Center in Versailles.

Smith earned an automatic berth in the state meet with his second-place finish in the 50-yard freestyle with a time of 22.52 seconds as the top two finishers in each event at regions qualified for the state meet. In addition to the top two finishers, the next 22 at-large times from each event also advance to state, and that’s where Smith claimed his second state berth as he had the eighth-best at-large time in the 100-yard freestyle. He finished third at region in 49.63 seconds.

Smith, who was named to the KHSAA Region 6 All-Region Team, had to contend with some record-breaking times in each of his qualifying events. William Tarvestad, a North Oldham High School junior, emerged as champion in both the 50-yard and 100-yard freestyle events, setting region records in both. Tarvestad won the 50 in 20.99 seconds then took the 100 in 46.32 seconds. Campbell Coyle, a Boyle County High School freshman, took runner-up honors in the 100-yard freestyle, touching the wall in 49.47 seconds.

Smith’s season reached its end at the end of February in the 2018 State Swimming and Diving Championships at the University of Louisville’s Ralph Wright Natatorium. He placed 20thoverall in the 50-yard freestyle event in a time of 22.53 seconds and was 25thin the 100-yard freestyle in 49.84 seconds.

While Smith was the only local swimmer qualifying for state, he wasn’t the only Lincoln swimmer taking to the water for the Region 6 championships with his teammates – Kelley Bastin, Kade Bandura, Dalton Patterson, Emma Kaiser, Katie Beth Smith, Mayci Godbey and Emmalee Patterson – also participating in the event.

Lincoln placed ninth overall in the men’s division with 76 points and 12th in the women’s division with 33 points. The combined 109 points placed the team 11th overall out of 14 teams. North Oldham won the team title with 784 points, Boyle County was second with 741 points, host Woodford County was third with 532 points, South Oldham took fourth-place with 460 points and Collins High rounded out the top five with 307 points.

Lincoln competed in seven events at regionals. The results, listed by event, follow:

Girls 200-yard Medley Relay: 9th place, Lincoln Co., 2:27.48 (Katie Beth Smith, Mayci Godbey, Emmalee Patterson and Emma Kaiser).

Boys 200-yard Medley Relay: 7th place, Lincoln Co., 2:02.89 (Kade Bandura, Dalton Patterson, Woods Smith and Kelley Bastin).

Girls 200-yard IM: 14th place, Katie Beth Smith, 2:51.17.

Boys 50-yard Freestyle: 2nd place, Woods Smith, 22.52; 13th place, Kelley Bastin, 25.75.

Boys 100-yard Freestyle: 3rd place, W. Smith, 49.63; 16th place, Bastin, 58.66.

Girls 200-yard Freestyle Relay: 11th place, Lincoln Co., 2:09.77 (Kaiser, Godbey, E. Patterson, K. Smith).

Boys 200-yard Freestyle Relay: 10th place, Lincoln Co., 1:47.15 (Bastin, D. Patterson, Bandura, W. Smith).