Crimson Tide Dominates Senior Day Showdown with Montevallo

RED WAVE RESULTS VS. MONTEVALLO – JANUARY 16, 2025

ARKADELPHIA, Ark.  –  The Henderson State Red Wave honored its seniors in style as both the men’s and women’s teams secured victories against Montevallo on Thursday.

The men featured a champion in every event, resulting in a dominant 170.5-29.5 win, while the women clinched a 107.5-85.5 victory through a strong finish in the relay.

Prior to the races commencing at Wells Natatorium, the team hosted a ceremony to acknowledge its senior athletes. Those honored included Hunter Bullis, Valerie Grigar, Pearl Himelick, Hayden Jestes, Kiara Pozvai, Tate Sloan, Gabriel Vidal Simoes, and Maddox Tidwell.

HSU’s Red Wave men’s squad commenced the day with a winning time of 1:34.39 from the 200 Yard Medley Relay team comprising Jean Ducastel, Oskar Cebula, Colin Candebat, and Patryk Dabrowski. The team of Efe Ertuzun, Mark Eberhard, Nojus Skirutis, and Oliver Pozvai achieved second place in this event.

Colton Bennett secured the initial individual victory of the day in the 1650 Yard Freestyle (16:45.98), while teammate Hayden Jestes finished in second place.

Senior Gabriel Vidal Simoes achieved a win in the 200 Yard Freestyle with a time of 1:48.35. Tate Sloan (1:49.41) and Pozvai (1:49.62) rounded out the remaining spots on the podium.

In another podium clean sweep, Dabrowski (21.05 seconds), Vitor Sa (21.61 seconds), and Tristin Ferguson (21.96 seconds) finished first, second, and third in the 50 Yard Freestyle. Zach Ponder (4:11.36), Candebat (4:12.33), and Ertuzun (4:20.66) repeated this success in the 400 Yard IM.

As the teams entered the latter part of the meet, Candebat (51.26 seconds), Pozvai (54.21 seconds), and Stevie Balistreri (54.52 seconds) achieved yet another clean sweep on the podium.

Sa (47.96 seconds) and Tate Sloan (49.29 seconds) clocked the 100 Yard Freestyle in first and tied for second, respectively.

During the 100 Yard Backstroke, the Red Wave swept the podium once more with Ducastel (52.67 seconds), Skirutis (52.70 seconds), and Ertuzun (54.84 seconds) finishing one-two-three.

Ponder (4:44.27) won the 500 Yard Freestyle, while Bennett (4:52.73) secured second place, earning another podium finish in a distance event.

In a fitting conclusion to the day’s individual events, Cebula (58.25 seconds), Skirutis (1:00.90), and Eberhard (1:01.58) achieved a clean sweep in the 100 Yard Breaststroke.

On the women’s side, freshman Daniela Ruiz initiated the day with an individual victory in the 1650 Yard Freestyle (18:25.16). Kiara Pozvai then celebrated a Senior Day win with a time of 2:04.06 in the 200 Yard Freestyle, while teammate Tayden Drake closely followed in second with a time of 2:08.99.

HSU registered another one-two finish in the 50 Yard Freestyle with Valerie Grigar (25.76 seconds) and Shelby Travis (26.30 seconds) securing first and second places, respectively. The pair repeated these placements in the 100 Yard Freestyle just minutes later.

The 400 Yard IM saw Emma Crowe lead the chart with a time of 4:58.83.

After initiating the Red Wave’s winning streak earlier in the day, Ruiz secured the last individual victory for the Red Wave in the 500 Yard Freestyle (5:27.69).

Hoping to put an exclamation point on a comprehensive team win, the relay group of Travis, Grigar, Emily Hand, and Crowe triumphed by finishing the 200 Yard Freestyle Relay with a time of 1:43.33.

Following Thursday’s outstanding performances, the Red Wave is set to journey to Arkansas’ state capital to compete against Little Rock and Southern Illinois on Friday, January 17.