The Woodlands High School girls win 2023 6A swimming and diving state title

Photo by Darla Tamulitis, La Vita Loca Photography
Copyright 2023 All Rights Reserved

By Robert H Kelly
Copyright 2022 All Rights Reserved

AUSTIN, TEXAS (February 18, 2023) San Antonio Johnson's Jada Scott and Mansfield's Elise Clift both claimed double gold with The Woodlands High School (shown above) claiming the overall team title at the 2023 UIL 6A Girls State Swimming and Diving Championships at the Lee and Joe Jamail Texas Swimming Center on Saturday.

Scott won the 50-yard freestyle with the time of :22.42. She followed that up about two hours later with a victory in the 100-yard breaststroke (1:00.59). The senior announced this past May that she will attend the University of Alabama and swim for the Crimson Tide in 2023. Clift, who is a junior, took top honors in the 200-yard freestyle (1:47.44) and the 500-yard freestyle (4:46.23). 

The Woodlands, who won just a single relay, claimed the team title with 300 points over second place Southlake Carroll (284) and third place Mansfield (163). The team champions based their team title on placing many swimmers in the finals to score vital points in route to the title. 

In fact, the Highlanders picked up 58 of their points in the 500-yard freestyle placing four girls in the championships finals and placing second, third, fifth, and eighth in the event. Their single victory in the 200-yard freestyle relay (1:33.67), garnering 40 points. They also picked up 66 points with a second place finish in the 200-yard medley relays and third in the 400-yard freestyle relay. Southlake Carroll won the 200-yard medley relay (1:42.84) and the 400-yard freestyle relay (3:25.80) to lead them to their second place finish.

In the other individual events, three senior finished out their high school careers with state titles. Hannah O'Leary (Round Rock) won the 200-yard individual medley (2:00.52), with Vista Ridge's Paula Warren taking the gold in the 100-yard backstroke (:55.24). College Park's Chloe Sharpe topped the field in winning the 1-meter springboard diving event (335.05 pts).

Two sophomores made their way to the top of the medal stand; Marin Clem (Southlake Carroll) in the 100-yard freestyle (:49.07) and San Antonio Reagan's Montserrat Spielman in the 100-yard butterfly (:53.42).

Top seeds advanced in UIL 6A girls state swimming and diving championships

Story and Photo by Robert H Kelly
Copyright 2023 All Rights Reserved

AUSTIN, TEXAS (February17, 2023) Southlake Carroll High School garnered the top seeds in all three relays and Mansfield High School gained top seeds in four individual events in the prelim session of the 2023 UIL 6A Girls Swimming and Diving Championships in Austin.

The fans in attendance saw the Dragons finish first in the 200-yard medley relay (1:42.84), 200-yard freestyle relay (1:25.67) and the 400-yard freestyle relay (3:25.73) to set them up as the top seed in all three events for Saturday's finals.

Mansfield earned to seed in the finals with junior Elise Clift in the 200-yard freestyle (1:48.10) and the 500-yard freestyle (4:49.33). They also had top qualifiers in the 200-yard individual medley when Gracie Walker posted the time of 2:00.45. She was join by Katie Walker in the 100-yard butterfly (:54.04).

Fort Bend Clements junior Kayla Fu was tops in the 100-yard freestyle (:49.84) awhile Cedar Park Vista Ridge was the top qualifier in the 100-yard backstroke (:55.24).

Diving Chloe Sharpe  12  Conroe Woodlands College Park 355.05, Senior Jada Scott of San Antonio Johnson finished first in the 50-yard freestyle (:22.51) and 100-yard breaststroke (1:01.41).

The finals of the 6A division will kickoff on Saturday at 9:30 a.m.

Record falls in prelims of UIL 6A swimming and diving championships in Austin

Story and photo by  Robert H Kelly    
Copyright 2023 All Rights Reserved

AUSTIN, TEXAS (February 17, 2023) Fort Bend Clements senior Logan Brown swam his way to a new state record at the UIL 6A State Swimming and Diving Championships on Friday afternoon. In the third heat of the boys 100-yard breaststroke, Brown blasted past the competition; posting the time of  53.03 seconds, earning him the top seed in Saturday's finals at the Lee and Joe Jamail Texas Swimming Center.

The previous 6A and overall state record of :53.39 was established by Brown at the 2022 state meet, and lasted for 364 days. He also captured the top seed for the finals in the 200-yard individual medley with the time of 1:45.09.

Also gaining the top seed in two events for the finals was Keller High School's Cooper Lucas. The junior qualified first in the 200-yard freestyle  (1:36.76) and 500-yard freestyle (4:24.53). Keller also earned the top seed in all three relays; 200-yard medley relay (1:30.75), 200-yard freestyle relay  (1:22.28), and 400-yard freestyle relay (3:00.33).

Seniors Hayden Bellotti (Fort Bend Clements), Sonny Wong (Round Rock Westwood) and Logan Pack (Katy Taylor) all qualified first in the 50-yard freestyle (:19.95), 100-yard freestyle (:43.52), and 100-yard backstroke (:48.23), respectively,

Junior Jacob Wimberly (Prosper) earned the top seed in the 100-yard butterfly (:46.99) with Prosper Rock Hill's Luke Sitz leading all divers with the score of 412.65 after the semi-finals.

The 6A finals will kickoff at 9:30 a.m. Saturday.