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).