Pasadena area swimmers compete at TAAF Games of Texas Summer State Championships.

Story by Chris Price
Copyright 2025 All Rights Reserved

BRYAN, TEXAS (August 3, 2025) The South Belt Area "All Stars" Swimming Team (SBAS) competed in the Texas Amateur Athletic Federation (TAAF) Games of Texas Summer State Championships and returned home with many accolades and honors, along with many lifetime best times. The championships were held at the Bryan Aquatic Center in Bryan, Texas.

In the 15-17 age group division, the top finisher was the SBAS Mixed 100-yard Freestyle Relay (shown above), consisting of Pasadena High School seniors Daniel Garza and Giovanni Lopez, who teamed up with Pasadena Memorial High School's junior Angelina Hernandez and senior Kailey Montoya to place fifth in the hotly contested race. The SBAS foursome posted the time of :59.37, which was faster that the time they recorded (1:02.18) in their gold medal performance at the TAAF Region 14 Championships two weeks earlier.

In the 15-17 age group individual events, Montoya placed 38th in the 50-yard Breaststroke and 45th in the 100-yard Individual Medley. Pasadena Memorial High School senior Gwendalynn Alvarado finished 29th in the 200-yard Freestyle and 45th in the 50-yard Butterfly. Hernandez competed in 100-yard Freestyle (49th place) and 100-yard Individual Medley (46th).

J. Frank Dobie High School senior Joel Chapa placed 58th in the 50-yard Butterfly, 58th in the 100-yard Freestyle and 73rd in the 50-yard Freestyle. Lopez placed 45th in the 50-yard Backstroke and 46th in the 50-yardd Breaststroke. with Garza placing 36th in th 50-yard Butterfly, 58th in the 100-yard Freestyle, and 62nd in thr 50-yard Freestyle.

In the girls 15-17 relay events, Hernandez, Montoya and Alvarado teamed up with Holly King to take 11th in the 200-yard Medley Relay and 12th in the 200-yard Freestyle Relay.

In the girls 13-14 division, Sam Rayburn High School sophomore Gabriella Olivo placed 28th in the 100-yard Individual Medley and 28th in the 50-yard Backstroke.

The South Belt Area "All Stars" Swimming Team is a select competitive swimming team, consisting of athletes from the Pasadena, South Houston, Deer Park and Texas Gulf Coast areas.

2025 TAAF Games of Texas to draw over 8,000 athletes to Bryan-College Station

By Chris Price
Copyright 2025 All Rights Reserved

BRYAN-COLLEGE STATION, TEXAS (July 28, 2025) The 2025 Texas Amateur Athletic Federation (TAAF) Games of Texas, a premier Olympic-style event. The Games will bring more than 8,000 amateur athletes to Bryan and College Station from July 31 to August 3. Marking its eighth appearance in the Brazos Valley, the four-day festival will feature competitions in over a dozen sports, including swimming, track and field, boxing, tennis, esports, and ultimate frisbee, held at local venues such as Texas A&M’s E.B. Cushing Stadium, the Bryan Aquatic Center, and Wolf Pen Creek Amphitheater.
In 2019, the Games attracted 20,000 athletes, families, and volunteers, generating an estimated $8.1 million in economic impact, 
To manage the expected influx of visitors, several local facilities will close temporarily, including College Station’s parks, recreation centers, and pools from July 31 to August 3, and the Bryan Aquatic Center from July 28 to August 6. Authorities advise drivers to anticipate traffic delays near competition venues and encourage early arrivals and carpooling, with parking available at each site. The public is invited to attend the opening ceremonies on Friday, August 1, at Wolf Pen Creek Amphitheater.

Pasadena swimmers excel at TAAF Games of Texas; Qualify for State Games of America

By Chris Price
Copyright 2023 All Rights Reserved

BROWNSVILLE, TEXAS (July 29, 2023) Two former Pasadena Independent School District swimmers showed the crowd at Margaret M. Clark Aquatic Center that just because you have graduated high school, you can still find success competing in the pool.

Kimberly Dutton (above left) and Emely Lopez (above right), who both competed for Pasadena Memorial High School and Pasadena High School, respectively, competed in the Texas Amateur Athletic Federation (TAAF) Games of Texas state championships, and brought medals back to Pasadena.

Dutton,  who graduated in 2020, and Lopez, who graduated this past spring, each was part of the South Belt Area "All Stars" Swimming Team (SBAS) squad who won the women's 200-yard medley relay in the 18-and-over division at this summer's state championships.

In winning the relay, they became the first relay foursome to take a TAAF state title since 2004. The foursome of Kristine Kelly, Natalie Melenric, Caitlin Cunningham, and Jackie Thibodaux combined to win the girls' 15-17 200-yard freestyle relay with the time of 1:42.01, with that performance standing as a TAAF state record to this day.

Lopez, who was a four-time academic all-state honoree for the Pasadena Eagles, and two-time All America selection also took the bronze medal in the women's 18-24 50-yard butterfly. Lopez will continue her swimming career this fall as a member of the inaugural swimming team at the University of St. Thomas in Houston.

Dutton, who was an academic all-state swimmers for the Pasadena Memorial Mavericks, and was an National State Games of America (NSGA) All-American in 2019 took the bronze medal in the women's 18-24 50-yard breaststroke.

As a result of making it to the medal platform in Brownsville, both women have qualified for State Games of America National Championships at the University of California in San Diego in July, 2024. This will be the first time Lopez will compete in the national event, however it will be the second time for Dutton. She qualified and competed in the 2019 edition of the games at Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia, bringing several medals back to Pasadena.

The South Belt Area "All Stars" Swimming Team is a select program consisting of elite swimmers from the Deer Park, Pasadena, Pearland, Friendswood, Clear Lake and greater Houston area. They are coached by Robert and Darla Kelly and Renee Martinez.

Houston-area athletes capture medals at TAAF Games of Texas Track and Field Championships

Photo by 
Darla S Tamulitis
La Vita Loca Photography
Copyright 2021 All Rights Reserved

By Robert H Kelly
Copyright 2021 All Rights Reserved

CORPUS CHRISTI, TEXAS (August 2, 2021) The track and field competition at the Texas Amateur Athletic Federation (TAAF) Summer Games ofTexas was held at the Corpus Christi ISD Cabiness Stadium on July 29 to August 1, 2021. Despite the hot and humid weather which taxed all competitors, Houston area and Gulf Coast region runners, jumpers, and throwers shown their determining and grit; and return home with numerous medals. 

Many of those athletes had just come off their respective high school seasons, which ended in May and continued their training well into the summer to show off their talents at the 2021 Games of Texas.

In the 18 and under division, Beaumont Track Club took home the gold medal in the 4 x 100-meter relay. The foursome of Jayla Franklin, Keasia Hall, Brianna Howard, and Daja Maxey covered the one-lap distance with the time of 47.09 seconds, just a mere 28-hundreths of a second off the meet record of :46.81 set in 2009 by Dallas Speed by Choice.

Beaumont also captured the silver medal in the girls 18 and under 4 x 400-meter relay with Hall, Franklin, Sanaria Butler, and Ashlynn Lane combining for the time of 4:09.58. Franklin also took home an individual gold medal in the girls 18 and under 200-meter dash with the time of 24.77 seconds. Butler added a silver medal to her haul in the 18 and under 400-meter dash (:57.08). In the long jump, Jamyia Wilson captured the silver medal in the 16 and under long jump (4.77m/15 feet, 8 inches).

Photo by 
Kristine Kelly
TexSport Publications
Copyright 2021, All Rights Reserved

The boys 16 and under 110-meter hurdles saw John Sanderson in second place (15.22 seconds). Houston's Monte Bell won gold in the boys 18 and under 800-meter run (2:05.27), with Sonaia Johnson, also from Houston, captuing bronze in the 18 and under girls 800-meters (2:32.69), Fellow Houstonian Aleia Johnson finished third in the 16 and under girls 800-meter run (2:43.95).

Wharton County's Jacorric Allen also won gold, in the 16 and under boys 400-meter dash (49.98 seconds).

Houston’s Donna Bryant, who was attending the Games to watch her granddaughter compete, stated:

“It was a great meet and I was very happy to see my grandbaby run. Even though it is very hot, and I am proud grandma.”

The Games of Texas will return to the Corpus Christi in July-August, 2022. A photo slideshow from the track and field competitionm by TexSport Publications' senior photographer Darla Tamulitis can be viewed by clicking here.

Golf champions crowned at TAAF Games of Texas

Adhira Tippur, Sankirth Tippur, and Shay West
all took medalists honors in their respective
divisions at the TAAF Games of Texas golf competition.
Photo by Darla S Tamulitis, La Vida Loca Photography
Copyright 2021, All Rights Reserved

By Robert H Kelly
Copyright 2021 All Rights Reserved

CORPUS CHRISTI, TEXAS (August 1, 2021) Golf was contested in the 2001 Texas Amateur Athletic Federation (TAAF) Games of Texas at Lozano Golf Center in Corpus Christi. Two nine-hole rounds were in the contested in the girls and boys 7-9 year-olds and 10-11 year-olds age groups, along with the girls 12-13 age group. In the boys 12-13, girls and boys 14-15 and 16-18, and the mens and womens 50-and-over age groups plays two 18-hole rounds.

In the girls division, Isabella Ramirez took top honors with two nine-rounds total of 87 (44-43) followed by Amabely Rodriguez with a 93 (45-48) in the girls 10-13 year-old division. In the girls 14-15 division, Adhira Tippur won the gold medal with a two-round, 36-hole total of 173 (89, 84), with Regan Williams taking the silver with the score of 216 (109, 107). 

Photo by
Darla Tamulitis
La Vita Loca Photography
Copyright 2021, All Rights Reserved

In the 16-18 division, San Angelo's Shay West (shown left) won the gold medal with a two-round thirty-six hole total of 152, shooting a first-round 78, and coming back with a 74 on the second day.

After the tournament, she was ask about her play and how the course was. She responded:

"It was good. I liked it (the cousre). It presented a lot of challenges, but I was able to overcome them. This was my first time playing (this course). I didn’t get a practice round. So there was some places that were dangerous and I ended up going there and I had to get myself out of it." 

In the boys 7-9 division, Jack Rogers took home the gold with the score of 89 (46, 43), with Andrew Sperry earning the silver; 131 (70, 61). In the 10-11 year-old boys division Jaanus Cantu took top honors with the score of 76 (39, 37), followed by Farid Aounallah with an 85  (43, 42) in second. Dennis Kwon and Salatore Alejandro tied for third with the score of 92; shooing 44/48 and 41/51, respectively.

In the boys 12-13 age group, Diego Deleon won the gold medal (180; 91/89), with Avion Loera winning silver (183, 87/96), and Eliab Alvarez taking bronze (206, 103/103). The boys 14-15 division saw a close match with  Rene Garcia taking top honors with a two-stroke win (179, 93/86) over Joshua Castaneda (181, 101/80). Sankirth Tippur won the boys 16-18 division with a two-round total of 169 (82/87). 

In the 50+ competiton, Linda Lindsey won the womens gold with the score of 96, while Greg Bassett and  Oscar Houchins went 1-2 with scoers of 72 and 85 respectively.

Local swimmers find success at TAAF Games of Texas Summer State Championships

By Robert H Kelly
Copyright 2021 All Rights Reserved

CORPUS CHRISTI, TEXAS (July 30, 2021) Two local Pasadena/Deer Park-area swimmers concluded their summer comeptitve season at the 2021 Texas Amateur Athletic Federation (TAAF) Games of Texas Summer State Swimming Championships in Corpus Christi, Texas. The competiton was held at the Corpus Christi Independent School District Natatorium and saw swimmers from around Texas vie for gold, silver and bronze medals.

Nicholas Brown (shown left) and Levi Del Angel (shown above) competed in the boys 13-14 age group and came home with five top 10 finished in their events. Del Angel, who will be a freshman at Pasadena Memorial High School competed in three events while Brown (shown left), who is also an incoming freshman, at First Baptist Christian Academy in Pasadena, swam two events.

Del Angel placed fifth in all three of his events; 100-yard freestyle with the time of  53.91 seconds, 50-yard freestyle (:24.89) and 100-yard individual medley (1:03.02). Brown placed seventh in the 50-yard bresaststroke (:34.91) and ninth in the 50-yard freestyle (:25.76).  

After his competition session, Brown stated,

"Being in Corpus was lots of fun, swimming against good competition was fun.  After the races he enjoyed eating at the Whataburger by the Bay.   I have been to State Games before and every time I have been I enjoyed it." 

Prior to the state championships, both young men competed in the TAAF Region 14 Swimming Championships at Katy High School in Katy, Texas. Del Angel won gold medals in all three of his events; 100-yard freestyle (55.60), 50-yard freestyle (:25.21), and 100-yard individual medley (1:05.28). Brown won the region title in the 100-yard breaststroke (:34.03) and took a silver medal in the 50-yard freestyle (:25.64).

The 2021 and 2022 TAAF Games of Texas are hosted by the City of Corpus Christi.

South Belt Area "All Stars" Swimming Team headed to TAAF Games of Texas

By Chris Price
Copyright 2021 All Rights Reserved

KATY, TEXAS (July 27, 2021) The South Belt Area “All Stars” Swimming Team (SBAS) placed second in the team standings at the Texas AmateurAthletic Federation (TAAF) Region 14 Swimming Championships at Katy High SchoolNatatorium. SBAS qualified 21 individuals and three relays for the TAAF Gamesof Texas State Championships in Corpus Christi on July 29-August 1, 2021.

In the girls 11-12 division, Kirstin Kelly, who is a seventh grader at Deer Park Junior High, won gold medals in both the 50-yard butterfly and 100-yard breaststroke, and the silver medal in the 100-yard individual medley, qualifying in all three events. This will be Kelly third trip to the summer state championships. In the girls 13-14 division, Phoebe Kaatz (Bondy Intermediate School) placed third in the 50-yard backstroke to punch her ticket to the championships. She also placed sixth in the 50-yard freestyle. Pasadena Memorial High School’s Vedika Deva will join Kaatz in Corpus Christi in the girls 13-14 division, placing third in the 50-yard breaststroke. She also placed fifth in the 50-yard freestyle.

The girls 15-17 age group will see a large contingent of swimmers who compete in high school for various Pasadena Independent SchoolDistrict. Pasadena High School juniors Emely Lopez (3^rd place: 50-yard butterfly and 3^rd place: 100-yard individual medley) and Briselda Diaz (1^st place: 50-yard breaststroke and 7^th place: 100-yard freestyle) will be competing at state. Pasadena Memorial High School will also have swimmers represent South Belt at state. Sophomore Samara Martinez (1^st place: 50-yard freestyle, 3^rd place: 50-yard breaststroke, 4^th place: 100-yard freestyle and 8^th place: 50-yard butterfly) will be joined by juniors Madison Arcizo (2^nd place: 100-yard freestyle and 4^th place: 200-yard freestyle), Nailea Esquival (3^rd place: 100-yard freestyle, 4^th place: 100-yard individual medley, and 6^th place: 50-yard butterfly), Jenae Flores (5^th place: 50-yard butterfly and 5^th place: 100-yard butterfly), along with senior Zulema Pica: (5^th place: 200-yard freestyle and 7^th  place: 50-yard butterfly. Pamela Guerrero, a junior at Sam Rayburn High School, placed second in the 50-yard backstroke, third in the 200-yard freestyle and fourth in the 50-yard butterfly.

South Belt will also have three women in the 18-and over master’s division. Former Pasadena HS and University of Houston swimmer Kristine Kelly won the 50-yard freestyle and 50-yard backstroke in the women’s 30-34 age group. Kelly will be joined by Renee Martinez, who won the 50-yard freestyle and 50-yard backstroke in the 50-54 age group, and Darla Kelly, who was victorious in the women’s 60-64 50-yard freestyle and 50-yard breaststroke.

 Three relays also qualified for the Games of Texas, with SBAS sweeping the top two places in the girls 15-17 200-yard freestyle relay. The foursome of Arcizo, Diaz, Lopez, and Flores won the gold medal, followed by teammates Pica, Martinez, Guerrero, and Esquivel, who took the silver. Arcizo, Diaz, Lopez, and Flores also combined to win the 200-yard medley relay.

 In the male division, Pasadena Memorial incoming freshman Levi Del Angel will compete in three events in Corpus Christi, by winning the boys 13-14 age group 50-yard freestyle, 100-yard freestyle, and 100-yard individual medley. He will be joined by First Baptist Christian Academy’s Nicholas Brown, who won the gold medal in the 50-yard breaststroke and silver in the 50-yard freestyle.

Senior Harrison Brown (First Baptist Christian Academy) will compete in the 100-yard freestyle, 200-yard freestyle, and 50-yard breaststroke, after placing first, first and second, respectively at regionals.

 McMurry University sophomore Christopher Brown, who will be in his second season competing for the WarHawks, will be swimming four events at state after placing first in the 18-24 200-yard freestyle, 50-yard breaststroke, and 50-yard butterfly and second in the 100-yard individual medley at the region meet. Brown swam in high school for First Baptist Christian Academy.

 Also competing at the region championships was Elias Pica, who placed seventh in the 25-yard freestyle and eighth in the 25-yard backstroke in the boys 9-10 age group.

 This year will make the seventeenth year since 2005 for SBAS swimmers to compete at the Games of Texas since 2005. The Games of Texas were cancelled in 2020 due to COVID-19.

The South Belt Area “All Stars” Swimming Team is a select swimming team consisting of elite swimmers from the Deer Park, Pasadena, Pearland, Friendswood, Clear Lake and greater Houston area.

2021 Games of Texas opening cermonies cancelled

By Robert H Kelly

Copyright 2021 All Rights Reserved

CORPUS CHRISTI, TEXAS (July 24, 2021) Due to an increase in the number of COVID-19 cases, the Texas Amateur Athletic Federation (TAAF) and the City of Corpus Christi has cancelled the opening ceremonies of the Games of Texas.

The opening ceremonies, which were slated for Friday, July 30, would have been attended by competitors, coaches, game officials, and spectators in numbers exceeding 10,000. Officials felt the decision would help reduce the risk of exposure to the COVID-19 virus.

In addition, TAAF will direct everyone involved in the Games (athletes, coaches, officials, and spectators) to wear face coverings during all events. In addition, social distancing and hand washing/sanitizing will be encouraged. For more information, go to www.taaf.com.

 

South Belt Area "All Stars" Swimming Team prepares for summer competitive season

Photo courtsey of South Belt Area "All Stars" Swimming Team

By Lou Roesch
Special Correspondant for TexSport Publications

HOUSTON, TEXAS (June 26, 2017) The South Belt Area "All Stars" Swimming Team (SBAS) is preparing for the current summer competitive campaign, and are looking to return to the Texas Amateur Athletic Federation's (TAAF) Games of Texas in late July. Sporting a fine group of high school swimmers, who are coming off a very successful season with their respective high schools, along with their very successful masters (18-years-old and over) swimmers, South Belt will be kicking off the summer season on July 15 with the TAAF Region 14 Championships in Katy, Last summer, SBAS finished third in the team standings at the regional championships, along with a top-20 finish at the Games of Texas.

In the high school division, South Belt will be aided in the quest to qualify for the summer state championships with a combination of swimmers from three Pasadena-area high schools. Alexa Perez, Alfredo Vasquez, and Thomas Gonzalez, all of whom were UIL regional qualifiers for Pasadena High School this past February, will be hitting the water for the summer competitions, along with swimmers from Sam Rayburn and Pasadena Memorial High Schools. Rayburn's Michael Vargas, along with Memorial's Marco Castillo, Abigail Salazar, Catherine Acosta, and Reanna Bowers, will compete to earn the coveted ticket to the state championships. In the master's division, long-time SBAS swimmer Landon Howard, along with former University of Houston swimmer Kristine Kelly will lead the way in the 18-and-over division. Also returning to the pool will be former Rayburn standout swimmer and diver Derrick Mauk. Kelly, who has been on hiatus from competitive swimming for the past three years while attending law school, will be looking to return the her former form. The former Pasadena High School swimmer holds numerous local, state, and national records in swimming. In addition, Kelly's daughter Kirstin will be looking to return to the state meet in 2017. He first appearance competing in the state championships was in 2015 where she led her eight-and under 100-yard freestyle relay to a 15th place finish at Texas A&M University Natatorium. Newcomers Kimberly Dutton, who is the current UIL District 22-6A junior varsity champion in the 50-yard breaststroke, Abigail Lezcano, Veronica Vatau, and John Long will be looking to make their mark in the annals of swimmers beginning in July 2017.

The Games of Texas summer state swimming championship will be held July 27-30 at Edinburg Water Park in Edinburg, Texas. Other sports in the Games of Texas will take place in McAllen, Texas.

All Sports in Action at Games of Texas on Saturday

SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS (July 26, 2008) Thousands of athletes are expected to compete in 18 events as part of the 2008 Tesoro TAAF Games of Texas. This is the largest multi-sport event in the state. The Games of Texas are patterned after the Olympic Games and are hosted by the San Antonio Sports Foundation and San Antonio Parks and Recreation. Track & field (3,500), swimming (2000) and boxing (300) will host the largest number of athletes to ever compete in their sports in the Games of Texas.

The 2008 Tesoro TAAF Games of Texas continue Saturday with 18 events, including boxing, track and field, swimming, baseball, and softball.

Games of Texas Opening Ceremonies Friday Night

SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS (July 25, 2008) Thousands of athletes are expected to compete in 18 events as part of the 2008 Tesoro TAAF Games of Texas. This is the largest multi-sport event in the state. The Games of Texas are patterned after the Olympic Games and are hosted by the San Antonio Sports Foundation and San Antonio Parks and Recreation. Track & field (3,500), swimming (2000) and boxing (300) will host the largest number of athletes to ever compete in their sports in the Games of Texas.

The 2008 Tesoro TAAF Games of Texas continue Friday with an Olympic-style opening ceremony and seven events. Opencermonies will be at Nelson Wolf Stadium beginning at 7:30pm.

A parade of athletes led by Grand Marshals Olympian Josh Davis and Tesoro executive vice president Bill Finnerty will be followed by entertainment from Radio Disney Dancers. TAFF athletes of the year will light the official 2008 Tesoro TAAF Games of Texas cauldron and the evening will be capped off with a fireworks display. Tickets for the opening ceremony will be $6 for adults and $4 for youth under the age of 6.

Local Swimmers Win at Regionals; Qualify for Games of Texas

By Chris Price
Copyright 2008 TexSport Publications

TEXAS CITY, TEXAS (July 23, 2008) The South Belt Area “All Stars” Swimming Team (SBAS) finished in seventh place in the team standings at the Texas Amateur Athletic Federation (TAAF) Region 1 Swimming Championships held at Texas City Natatorium.

Despite being the second smallest team of the seventeen teams competing, the “All Stars” scored well and qualified ten age group and masters swimmers for the TAAF Games of Texas in San Antonio July 25-27 in addition to establishing 17 new TAAF Region 1 swimming records.

Leading the way for SBAS was former Sam Rayburn High School teammates Rick Price and Derrick Mauk (both class of 1995) , along with former Texan swimmer Max Newlin (class of 2004), who each won two gold medals along with establishing six of the new records.

Mauk and Price were competing in the 25-39 year old age group with Mauk taking top honors in the 50-yard backstroke and the 50-yard butterfly while Price won gold in the 50-yard breaststroke and the 50-yard freestyle.

Newlin, who recently got back into the pool after a four year layoff won gold medals in the 18-24 year old age group in the 50-yard backstroke and the 50-yard freestyle.

Landon Howard, who was also competing in the 18-24 year old age group, took the gold medal in the 50-yard butterfly and a silver medal in the 50-yard backstroke. His gold medal performance in the butterfly event was also a Region 1 record.

Not to let their achievements rest with individual medals, the four men combined to take the gold medal in both the 18 and over 200-yard medley relay and the 200-yard freestyle relay. Both performances were also good enough to establish new Region 1 records.

The women also got into the fray of winning medals with former Deer Park High School swimmer Kasey Mauk (class of 2005) wining the gold medal in the 100-yard freestyle , (which was a new Region 1 record) and the silver medal in the 50-yard freestyle. Mauk was joined in the 18-24 year old age group by Jessica Taylor (Sam Rayburn class of 2004), who took silver medals in the 50-yard breaststroke and the 100-yard individual medley.

Lisa Hernandez, competing in the 25-29 year old age group, won the gold medal in the
50-yard butterfly gold and a silver medal in the 100-yard individual medley. Hernandez’ performance in the 50-yard butterfly established another Region 1 record for SBAS.

Not to be outdone by her swimmers, SBAS masters coach and Pasadena High school head swimming coach Darla S. Kelly also got into the act in the women’s 40 and over division. Kelly won the gold medal in the 50-yard backstroke, also establishing a new Region 1 record.

In the relay events, Mauk, Taylor, Hernandez, and Kelly teamed up to take gold medals in both the 18 and over 200-yard medley relay and the 200-yard freestyle relay, also establishing new Region 1 records in the process.

The success in the pool was not limited to just one Kelly. SBAS senior coach and Sam Rayburn High School head swimming coach Robert H. Kelly contributed to the gold medal count, by winning the men’s 40 and over 50-yard breaststroke and the 200-yard freestyle. He also established two new Region1 records with his performances. He also placed fourth in the 100-yard freestyle.

Pasadena and Sam Rayburn High School swimmers saw action in the pool, in preparation for the upcoming high school season.

Pasadena High School’s Jonathan Abner won the bronze medal in the 50-yard backstroke and took 5th place in the 50-yard freestyle.

Adrian Hernandez finished in 7th place in the 50-yard butterfly and 10th place in the 50-yard backstroke. Eduardo Sanchez placed 6th in the 200-yard freestyle and 12th in the 50-yard breaststroke, while Colin O’Donnell placed 12th in the 100-yard individual medley.

All for young men (Abner, Hernandez, Sanchez, and O’Donnell) combined to finish in fourth place in the 15-17 year old 200-yard medley relay and the 200-yard freestyle relay. All four will return to PHS for their senior year of swimming this fall.

Sam Rayburn High Schools swimmer Lauren Rossett also competed in the meet finishing in 7th place in the 200-yard freestyle, 12th place in the 100-yard individual medley, and 21st place in the 50-yard butterfly. Rossett competed in the 15-17 year old age group

Also placing in the meet in the boys 11-12 year old age group was Harrison Matherne who competed in the 50-yard butterfly-4th place, 50-yard freestyle-5th place and the 50-yard backstroke-7th place.

Competing in the girls 11-12 year old age group were Jamie Taylor, 12th place in the 50-yard butterfly, 27th place in the 50-yard breaststroke, and 30th place in the 50-yard backstroke.

Tarah Friddell finished in 11th place in the 50-yard butterfly, 14th place in the 50-yard freestyle, and 21st place in the 50-yard breaststroke, while Haley Chapman placed 27th place in the 50 yard backstroke, 26th place in the 50-yard breaststroke, and 37th place in the50-yard freestyle. Both Friddell and Chapman competed in the 11-12 year old age group.

All competitors who placed in the top three in their events qualified for the Games of Texas State Championships. The state swimming meets will be held at Palo Alto College in San Antonio on July 25-27, 2008.

Opening Ceremonies for the AT & T Games of Texas Friday Night!

(WILLIAMSON COUNTY-July 24, 2007) You don’t have to win a gold medal to enjoy the AT&T Games of Texas as competitors from across the state converge on Williamson County this weekend. The entire community is invited to join athletes in the Opening Ceremony festivities from the entertaining Zooperstars to fireworks!

The pre-ceremony begins at 5:30 pm with entertainment and activities for all at the Dell Diamond in Round Rock to include the kids’ fun zone and even get a commemorative picture taken thanks to AT&T.

At 7:30 p.m., all AT&T Games of Texas athlete participants will enter the stadium representing all 21 of the AT&T Games of Texas sports during the Parade of Athletes. Next, the Zooperstars! featuring a variety of mascots ranging from “Dennis Frogman” to “Clammy Sosa,” to Roger “Clam”ens will entertain the crowd as they flip, dance, bounce and shake. The Texas Amateur Athletic Federation (TAAF) will recognize the 2006 Male and Female Athletes of the Year, and the night will finish with fireworks! The cost is $5 for parents and spectators. Coaches and athletes are free.

The 2007 AT&T Games of Texas in Williamson County will have more than 7,500 athletes competing in more than 20 different sports venues. Featured sports in the 2007 AT&T Games of Texas include: archery, badminton, baseball, bowling, boxing, disc golf, fencing, flag football, youth golf, lifeguard competition, paintball, racquetball, soccer (3 v 3), adult softball, swimming, tennis, track and field, triathlon, girl’s volleyball, washers and wiffleball. Medal winners in several sports are eligible to advance and participate at the national level in the State Games of America.

The Games started last weekend in Williamson County with volleyball and 3 v 3 soccer on July 21-22. Most events take place this weekend July 26-29, 2007. They are being hosted by Williamson County and the cities of Round Rock, Georgetown, Cedar Park, Hutto, and Leander as well as Brushy Creek Municipal Utility District.