NACOGDOCHES, Texas — Two local swim teams traveled to Nacogdoches this past weekend to kick-off the 2012-2013 swim season and found moderate success in doing so.

The Vidor High School and Little Cypress-Mauriceville swim teams took part in the Dragon Invitational on Saturday, Oct. 27, and came away with mixed results. Each team went into the meet looking to find where it stands against many swim teams outside of the area.

The Pirates Girls 200 Yard Medley Relay team of Carly Bessire, Cullen Wilgers, Gabriella Duke and Hannah Odom placed eighth with a time of 2:39.42, while the boys team, comprised of Spencer Shrek, Damian Mann, Gavin Lacy and Hunter Heidleberg, placed 10th in 2:09.65. A second Vidor boys team, featuring Blaine Shaw, Eddie Dyess, Slade Roberts and Taylor Baker, finished in 13th place with a time of 2:41.89.

Ivy Casteel of Little Cypress-Mauriceville finished in fifth place in the Girls 200 Yard Freestyle with a time of 2:21.10. In the boys division, Vidor’s Slade Roberts placed 18th in 2:43.30.

In the Girls 200 Yard Individual Medley, Hannah Odom of Vidor High School snagged a third place finish with a time of 2:43.02, while teammate Gabriella Duke was ninth in 3:43.83. In the boys bracket, Spencer Shrek placed fourth in 2:27.18. Other Vidor swimmers in this race included Eddie Dyess, 11th place, 2:42.96; Hunter Heidleberg, 14th place, 3:00.35; and Blaine Shaw, 15th, 3:29.19.

LC-M’s Siera Clark finished in 13th place in the Girls 50 Yard Freestyle with a time of 39.94 seconds, while Shae Phillips of Vidor finished 17th in 46.38 seconds and Texie Freeman, also of Vidor, placed 19th in 49.62 seconds.

In the boys bracket, the competition was equally as fierce. Taylor Baker of Vidor finished in 32nd place in 38.27 seconds, while teammate Hunter Porter was 33rd in 42.18 seconds and James Withrow finished in 35th place in 58.47 seconds.

Pirates swimmer Carly Bessire finished in sixth place in the Girls 100 Yard Butterfly with a time of 1:19.20, and teammate Gabriella Duke used a time of 1:56.39 to place 13th. In the boys race, Damien Kirkland, a senior at Vidor High School, finished in fifth place with a time of 1:04.70, while teammates Hunter Heidleberg placed 16th in 1:16.45 and Peter Thorne finished in 17th place in 2:19.38.

The Girls 100 Yard Freestyle proved to be quite exciting as local swimmers claimed two of the top three spots. LC-M’s Ivy Casteel finished in second place in 1:02.89, while Hannah Odom of Vidor placed third in 1:05.07. Siera Clark, also of LC-M, finished in 14th place with a time of 1:23.40.

In the Boys 100 Yard Freestyle race, Spencer Shrek of Vidor grabbed seventh place with a time of 59.26 seconds, while teammate Gavin Lacey finished 23rd in 1:15.81. Vidor swimmers Wyatt Blake placed 30th in 1:39.75 and Taylor Baker finished 32nd in 1:42.05.

In the Boys 500 Yard Freestyle, Damian Mann of Vidor finished in 10th place with a time of 6:29.43 in his first race of the season.

The Girls 200 Yard Freestyle Relay team of Carly Bessire, Cullen Wilgers, Gabriella Duke and Hannah Odom placed sixth with a time of 2:14.18. The Vidor boys team of Damian Mann, Spencer Shrek, Blaine Shaw and Eddie Dyess finish in 11th place in 1:56.29, ahead of the second relay team of Taylor Baker, Hunter Heidleberg, Gavin Lacy and Peter Thorne which placed 15th in 2:23.29. A third Vidor relay team comprised of Wyatt Blake, Slade Roberts, Hunter Porter and Jaymes Withrow finished 16th in 3:14.02.

Damien Kirkland of Vidor finished in fifth place in the Boys 100 Yard Backstroke in a time of 1:09.95, while teammate Blaine Shaw was 14th in 1:33.67. Fellow Pirates swimmer Hunter Porter finished 15th in 2:07.69, while Peter Thorne was 16th in 2:09.44 and Jaymes Withrow placed 17th in 3:10.26.

In the Boys 100 Yard Breaststroke, Damian Mann finished 12th in 1:22.57, while teammate Eddie Dyess was 13th in 1:24.02. Fellow Vidor swimmers Gavin Lacy placed 19th in 1:33.94 and Wyatt Blake finished 21st in 2:01.61.