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.

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.

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.

SBAS swimmers place Top-3 in 2017 Cap 2K Open Water Race

Derrick Mauk accepts the award
for his third place finish
in the Cap 2K Open Water Race.
Photo by Darla S Tamuitis.
La Vita Loca Photography
Copyright 2017 All Rights Reserved

By Chris Price
Copyright 2017 All Rights Reserved

AUSTIN, TEXAS (May 1, 2017) Four members of the South Belt Area "All Stars" Swimming Team (SBAS) competed in the Cap 2K Open Water Swimming Race on April 30, 2017 in Austin's Colorado River and came back to the Pasadena area with three Top Three finishes.

Derrick Mauk, competing in the men's 40-44-year-old age group placed third with the time of 33:11.01. the former nationally ranked high school diver and USA Masters Swimming National Championships Finalist was competing in his second Cap 2k. He first competed in the race in 2007, placing second in the men's 30-39-year-old division with the time of 35:18.56.

Marco Castillo palced
third inn his second-ever Cap 2K.
Photo by Darla S Tamuitis.
La Vita Loca Photography
Copyright 2017 All Rights Reserved

Pasadena Memorial students Tristan Morgan and Marco Castillo, who competed in the men's 18-24-year-old division, finished in second and third place, respectively. Morgam posted the time of 35:56.03 while Castillo was just under two minutes back at 37:45.07. Morgan previously competed in the race in 2015 and 2016 in the high school aged division, while Castillo also competed in 2016.

In the boys 12-14-year-old division, Harrison Brown placed fourth in his first ever Cap 2K with the time of 36:44.30. His time was only 55 seconds behind third-place finisher Lane Stallworth (35:49.18).

Swimmers bring gold medal haul back to Texas from State Games of America

James Sephton, Carson Howard, and Landon Howard
brought a gold-medal haul back to Texas from the
State Games of America.
Photo by James Sephtoon, Used with permission.

By Robert H Kelly
Copyright 2015 TexSport Publications

LINCOLN, NEBRASKA (August 3, 2015) Three members of the South Belt Area “All Stars” Swimming Team competed in the State Games of America national championships on August 1-2, 2015 in Lincoln, Nebraska and bought back a pot full of gold medals to the Houston area. Brothers Landon and Carson Howard, along with James Sephton competed in the two-day event in a total of 16 individual and two relay events and won a total of 16 medals.

Landon Howard, competing in the men’s 25-29 age group, stepped on the starting blocks seven times and won a total of seven individual medals. Brother Carson raced in five events, winning two gold and two silver medals in the men’s 19-24 age group. Fellow Texan James Sephton, competing in the men’s 40-44 age group raced to three gold medals.

The competition was held over two days, with Saturday’s events held at Bob Devaney Sports Center on the campus of the University of Nebraska. The Saturday events were contested in the campus 25-yard pool, while Sunday’s events were held at Woods Memorial Pool and were contested in a 50-meter pool.

On Saturday, August 1, Landon competed in four events; 50-yard backstroke (:28.01), 50-yard freestyle (:23.50), 100-yard freestyle (:53.26) and 200-yard butterfly (2:45.20), and raced to the gold medal in all four events. Carson competed in the 50-yard breaststroke, where he won the gold medal with the time of  :29.54. He also swam to the silver medal in the 50-yard butterfly (:25.73). Sephton won gold medals in the 50-yard breaststroke (:32.21) and the 200-yard breaststroke (2:55.52).

The Texas threesome hooked up with another Texan, Sherdon Powell, to win the gold medal in the 18 and over 200-yard freestyle relay.

In the Sunday, August 2 events, Landon swam to three gold medals in the 100-meter backstroke (1:18:01), 200-meter individual medley (2:43.10), and the 100-meter butterfly (1:13.21). Carson won the gold medal in the 100-meter breaststroke (1:18.42) and the silver medal in the 200-meter individual medley (2:40.29). In addition, James won the gold emdal in the 100-meter breaststroke (1:28.41).

Landon, Carson, and James again team up to take the gold medal in the 200-meter medley relay, with fellow swimmer Bam Meeks.

SWIMMERS WIN MEDALS, SET RECORDS AT GAMES OF TEXAS

By Robert H. Kelly
Copyright 2009 TexSport Publications

SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS (July 25, 2009) Derrick Mauk and Susan Matherne combined for six gold medals and three state records to lead the South Belt Area “All Stars” Swimming Team (SBAS) at the Texas Amateur Athletic Federation’s Games of Texas. The swimming competition was held at Josh Davis Natatorium in the Northeast Independent School District in San Antonio.

Matherne, competing in the women’s 45-49 year old age group won three gold medals and set new state records in all three events.

The former LSU swimmer’s gold medals were in the 50-yard freestyle (:25.53), 100-yard freestyle (:55.05) and the 50-yard butterfly (:28.57). All three performances set new TAAF state records.

Mauk won his state titles in the men’s 30-34 year old 50-yard backstroke, 50-yard butterfly, and the 100-yard individual medley.

Matherne’s son Harrison, competing in the boys 11-12 year old age group took the bronze medal in the 50-yard backstroke.

SBAS also scored two relay medals. Susan Matherne and Mauk combined with former Pasadena High School swimmer Kristine Kelly and Landon Howard to take the silver medal in the 18 and over mixed 200-yard freestyle relay. Their time of 1:43.09 was the third fastest in games history.

Howard also combined with Gendalyn Seale and former Sam Rayburn High School swimmers Jenna Taylor and Brian Vestal to take the bronze medal in the 18 and over mixed 100-yard freestyle relay.

Harrison Matherne also placed fourth in the 50-yard butterfly and seventh in the 50-yard freestyle.

SBAS has two swimmers competing in the men’s 18-24 year old division. Howard finished fourth in the 50-yard freestyle, 10th in the 50-yard butterfly and 11th in the 50-yard freestyle. Vestal placed 17th in the 100-yard individual medley and 23rd in the 50-yard butterfly.

In the men’s 40 and over age group, SBAS co-head coach Robert Kelly placed 11th in the 50-yard breaststroke and 17th in the 50-yard freestyle. Ed Seale placed 19th in the 50-yard freestyle.

In the boys 15-17 year old age group, John-Philip Seale placed 48th in the 50-yard butterfly, 53rd in the 50-yard freestyle, and 56th in the 100-yard freestyle.

On the female side, Erin Wilson placed 12th in the 50-yard backstroke and 13th in the 100-yard individual medley. She was competing in the girls 11-12 year old age group.

In the women’s 18-24 age group, Taylor placed 9th in the 50-yard breaststroke and 17th in the 100-yard freestyle. Kristine Kelly finished 8th in the 50-yard backstroke and 12th in the 50-yard butterfly. Gwendalyn Seale placed 12th in the 50-yard breaststroke and 21st in the 50-yard freestyle.

In the women’s 40 and over age group, SBAS co-head coach Darla Kelly placed 9th in the 50-yard breaststroke ands 14th in the 50-yard freestyle.

Over 1500 swimmers competed in the three day competition, which contested 130 events.

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

PASADENA AREA SWIMMERS WIN MEDALS, QUALIFY FOR GAMES OF TEXAS

By Robert H. Kelly
Copyright 2009 TexSport Publlications

PASADENA, TEXAS (July 14, 2009)The South Belt Area “All Stars” Swimming Team (SBAS) recently competed in the Texas Amateur Athletic Federation’s (TAAF) Region 1 Swimming Championships at Conroe ISD Natatorium and came home with numerous awards and honors.

Harrison Matherne, competing in the boys 11-12 year old division, won the gold medal in the 50-yard butterfly and silver medals in the 50-yard backstroke and 50-yard freestyle.

Erin Wilson, competing in the girls 11-12 year old division, took the bronze medal in the 100-yard=2 0individual medley. She also placed fourth in the 50-yard backstroke and ninth in the 50-yard butterfly.

As a result of their performances, Matherne and Wilson have qualified for the TAAF Games of Texas State Championships to be held July 24-26 at Josh Davis Natatorium in San Antonio. Matherne will compete in all three of his events while Wilson will compete in the 100-yard individual medley and the 50-yard backstroke.

The top four finishers in all 14 years old and under events qualified for the state championships.

This will be Matherne’s fourth trip to the Games of Texas, having competed previously in 2005, 2006 and 2007. Wilson will be making her first trip to the Games.

In addition to Matherne and Wilson, other SBAS swimmers placed at the regional championships.

Henry Huelskamp (9-10 year old division) finished 20th in the 25-yard breaststroke and 25th in the 25-yard freestyle

Sarah Taylor (11-12 year old division) placed 34th in the 50-yard breaststroke and 47th in the 50-yard freestyle.

Ian Burke (13-14 year old division) placed ninth in the 50-yard breaststroke, 13th in the 50-yard freestyle, and 14th in the 50-yard backstroke.

John Phil lip Seale (15-17 year old age group) placed 16th in the 50-yard butterfly and 19th in the 50-yard freestyle.

Matherne and Wilson will not be the only SBAS swimmers competing in the championships. They will be joined by a large contingent of SBAS masters (ages 18 and over) swimmers.

Former area high school swimmers Kasey Mauk, Kristine Kelly, Jenna Taylor, Brian Vestal and Derrick Mauk will hit the water again for the state championships. They will be joined by Landon Howard, Gwendolyn Seale, John Philip Seale, Ed Seale, Susan Matherne (Harrison’s mother) and SBAS coaches Robert Kelly and Darla Kelly.

This year will make the sixth appearance for SBAS swimmers in the Games of Texas.

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.

SBAS Swimmers Win Medals at Lone Star Triathlon, Louisiana Senior Olympics

(SBAS swimmer Derrick Mauk (left) combined with Rex Moses (cyclist) and Brett Riley (runner) to win the 2009 Lone Star Triathlon Half Iron Man Relay at Moody Gardens in Galveston. Photo by Robert Kelly, Copyright 2009 All Rights Reserved)

By Chris Price
Copyright 2009 TexSport Publications

PASADENA/DEER PARK, TEXAS (April 10, 2009) South Belt Area “All Stars” Swimming Team (SBAS) members recently brought home many honors from two elite level competitions.

SBAS swimmer Derrick Mauk combined with cyclist Rex Moses and runner Brett Riley to win the Half Iron Man Relay at the 2009 Lone Star Triathlon at Moody Gardens in Galveston.

Mauk’s swimming time for the 1.2 mile open water course was 34 minutes 21 seconds. Moses rode the 56 mile bike leg in 2 hours 19 minutes 59 seconds and Riley ran the 13.1 mile leg in 1 hour 18 minutes 9 seconds. With transition time added in, their final time of 4 hours 15 minutes 14 seconds established a new course record. This was the second year in a row that Mauk and Moses have been on the champion relay. Last year, they combined with Carwyn Sharp to win the same relay

SBAS swimmer Lisa Hernandez competed in the women’s 25-29 year old sprint event, finishing in 8th place. Hernandez swam the 500 meters open water swim in 10 minutes 50.95 seconds, rode the 12.5 mile bike leg in 48 minutes 13.25 seconds and ran the 3.1 mile leg in 24 minutes 56 seconds. Her combined time, with transitions, was 1 hour 27 minutes 45.40 seconds.

SBAS swimming team coaches Robert H. and Darla S. Kelly also got into the action, competing in the Southwest Louisiana Senior Games at McNeese State University in Lake Charles, Louisiana.

The Kelly’s brought home seven gold and three silver medals. Darla went five for five, winning gold medals in the 50-54-year-old 50 yard freestyle, 100-yard freestyle 50-yard backstroke, 100-yard backstroke and 50-yard breaststroke.

Robert, competing in the 55-59-year-old age group, won gold medals in the 50-yard freestyle and the 100-yard freestyle. He also took the silver medal in the 50-yard breaststroke, 100-yard breaststroke, and the 50-yard backstroke.

As a result, they both qualified for the Louisiana State Senior Games in Baton Rouge, Louisiana in October, 2009.

The next meet up for the SBAS swimmers will be the Cap 2K Open Water Race in Austin and the 1st Annual Roy and Jean Potts Masters Swim Meet in Belton. Both meets are in May.

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 Houston South Belt areas.

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.

Masters Swimmers, Relays Achieve National Rankings

By Chris Price
Copyright 2008 TexSport Publications

PASADENA-DEER PARK, TEXAS (May 23, 2008) United States Masters Swimming (USMS) recently announced the National Top Ten List for long course meters 2007-2008. The list contains the top ten times in United States swam in a 50-meter pool over the year.

The South Belt Area “All Stars” Swimming Team (SBAS) had three individuals and six relays named to the elite list. SBAS had the second most selections of all Gulf LSC (local swim committee) area teams. The Gulf LSC consists of masters swimming teams from the southeast and Gulf area of Texas.

Former Pasadena High School All-American swimmer Kristine Kelly of Deer Park, who recently completed her second season of competing for the University of Houston, was honored for five of her times. She achieved national rankings in the 100-meter backstroke (9th), 50-meter backstroke (5th), 200-meter backstroke (5th), 200-meter backstroke (4th), 400-meter individual medley (6th). Her times were achieved in the womens 18-24-year-old age group.

Derrick Mauk, who competes in the mens 30-34-year-old age group achieved four top ten national rankings. The former national ranked diver for Sam Rayburn High School achieved his national rankings in the 400-meter freestyle (10th), 50-meter backstroke (7th), 100-meter backstroke (5th), and 200-meter backstroke (8th)

In addition, former J. Frank Dobie head swimming coach and Pasadena ISD aquatic director Dennis Shippey, also achieved four national rankings in the mens 60-64 year-old age group. Shippey trains the SBAS but competes for the Woodlands Aquatics Masters Team. He was selected to the elite list in the 50-meter breaststroke (3rd), 100-meter breaststroke (5th), 200-meter breaststroke (5th), and 50-meter butterfly (8th).

SBAS also had three of their single gender relays selected for the national top ten list. Long course (50-meter) relays are determined by the sum of the ages of all four swimmers on the relay.

The mens 200-meter freestyle relay consisting of Mauk, Rick Price, Landon Howard, and Chuck Medema were ranked fifth in the national in the 100-119 age group. Price was an All State Swimmer for Rayburn in 1995.

The womens 72-99 age group 200-meter medley relay consisting of Kelly, Skylar Walker, Stacey Golden, and Lisa Hernandez were the fifth ranked relay in the 18-and over age group. They also were ranked eighth nationally in the 200-meter medley relay. Walker and Golden were former All American swimmers for Rayburn in 2005 and 1998 respectively

In addition, SBAS had three relays ranked in mixed relay division. The mixed relays consist of two men and two women competing together.

The mixed 72-99 age group 200-meter medley relay consisting of Howard, Walker, Medema, and Golden were ranked eighth, while Price, Walker, Kelly, and Medema were raked sixth in the 100-119 age group 200-meter freestyle relay. Kelly, Price, Mauk, and Hernandez were ranked ninth in the 100-199 age group 200-meter medley relay. Howard, Walker Medema, and Golden combined to obtain the number eight ranking in the mixed 72-99 age group.

The South Belt Area “All Stars” Swimming Team is a select competitive team and is made up made up of national and elite swimmers from the Deer Park, Pasadena, Friendswood, Pearland, Clear Lake and South Belt areas. Their swimmers compete in competitions stationed by various state and national associations including United States Masters Swimming, Amateur Athletic Union, Texas Amateur Athletic Federation and American Swimming Association.

LOCAL TEAM, SWIMMERS WIN NATIONAL TITLES, MEDALS AT MASTERS SWIMMING NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS

(photo by Chris Price-TexSport Publications)

By Chris Price

(THE WOODLANDS, TEXAS, September 23, 2007) Derrick Mauk and Chuck Medema each won national titles at the United States Masters Swimming Long Course National Long Course Swimming Championships held at The Woodlands.

Mauk won his first-ever national title in the 50-meter backstroke, while Medema took his title in the 400-meter freestyle.

Both swimmers, along with eight teammates, took 23rd place in the team standings, out of 133 teams, representing the South Belt Area “All Stars” Swimming Team.

The “All Stars” had ten swimmers, ages 19-53 competing, competing against 901 other swimmers.

Mauk, who was competing in the 30-34 age group, also a silver medal in the 400-meter freestyle, bronze medals in the 100-meter and 200-meter backstrokes, sixth place in the 100-meter butterfly and seventh place in the 50-meter butterfly.

Medema, competing in the 25-29 age group, took a bronze medal in the 200-meter freestyle, sixth place in the 100-meter freestyle, eighth place in the 100-meter butterfly, and ninth place in the 50-meter freestyle and 50-meter butterfly.

University of Houston swimmer Kristine Kelly, who was competing in her last meet of the summer season before reporting back to school for the college swimming season, took the silver medal in the 100-meter backstroke, bronze medals in the 200-meter backstroke, 50-meter backstroke and 400 meter individual medley. She also added a fourth place in the 200-meter butterfly and fifth place in the 200-meter individual medley. She was competing in the 18-24 age group. Kelly’s greatest competition came against Fort Lauderdale Aquatics swimmer Dawn Jason, who is a member of Great Britain’s national team at the Commonwealth Games.

Hillsdale (Michigan) College swimmer Skylar Walker (18-24 age group) was also competing in her final meet of the summer season before leaving for her junior year in college, took ninth place in the 200-meter freestyle, 100-meter breaststroke and 50-meter breaststroke, along with thirteenth place in the 50-meter and 100-meter freestyles.

Landon Howard, competing in the 18-24 age group place seventh in the 50-meter backstroke, 100-meter butterfly, eighth in the 50-meter freestyle and 100-meter backstroke and tenth in the 100-meter freestyle

Lisa Hernandez also got into the scoring with a fourth place finish in the 200-meter breaststroke in the 25-29 age group, along with fifth place in the 400-meter freestyle, eighth place in the 50-meter breaststroke, tenth in the 200-meter freestyle, eleventh in the 100-meter breaststroke and fifteenth in the 100-meter freestyle.

Former Sam Rayburn High School standout Stacey Golden also contributed to the scoring with a sixth place in the 100-meter butterfly, along with an eighteenth place in the 50-meter freestyle.

The competitive fires were not limited to the younger adult “All Stars” swimmer. Co-head coaches Darla and Robert Kelly also hit the water in the national level meet for the first time in over twenty years.

“We felt the time was right to get into the water and go for it,” said Darla Kelly. “We have been working with these youngsters for years and wanted to have some fun ourselves.”

Both the Kelly competed in two events, with Darla finishing thirteenth in the 50-meter backstroke and twenty-first in the 50-meter freestyle. Robert finished nineteenth in the 50-meter breaststroke and was disqualified in the 100-meter breaststroke for two butterfly kicks on the turn.

“After the 50-meter breaststroke, Derrick and Kristine inquired why I didn’t take a butterfly kick on the pullout. The rule that allows one butterfly kick on the start and turn is relatively new to the sport and I had not practiced doing it. I went to the cool down pool and practiced it for a while. I felt I it was fine but obviously, I was not. I got DQed by an official that works some of our high school meets, and we all got a good laugh about it. It will be a long time before I live that one down,” said Robert Kelly.

The “All Stars” success and points was not limited to individual events. They entered seven relays and all seven scored and brought home medals.

Relay entries are determined by the combined ages of all four swimmers. Mauk, Howard, Medema, and former Sam Rayburn High School All State swimmer Rick Price swam two relays in the 100-119 years old age group. In the 200-meter freestyle relay, they took the silver medal, but were disqualified for an early takeoff in the 200-meter medley relay.

Walker, Golden, Hernandez, and Kristine Kelly combined to swim their relays in the 72-99 age group, finishing in fourth place in both the 200-meter medley relay and the 200-meter freestyle relay.

Coed relays, which consisted of two men and two women, were also contested with the “All Stars” fielding three.

In the coed 200-meter freestyle relay, Price, Walker, Medina, and the youngest Kelly finished in fifth place in the 100-119 age group. Kelly, and Price, then combined with Mauk and Hernandez to take fifth place in the 100-119 200-meter freestyle relay.

Howard, Walker, Medema, and Golden rounded out the relay scoring with a fourth place finish in the 72-99 age group 200-meter medley relay.

In addition, former J. Frank Dobie swimming coach and Pasadena Independent School District aquatic director Dennis Shippey also competed and scored at the Nationals. Shippey trains with the “All Stars” but competed with the Woodlands Masters Team where he can compete in relays with other swimmers his own age.

Shippey competed in the 60-64 year old age group took silver medals in the 50-meter and 100-meter breaststroke, a bronze medal in the 200-meter breaststroke, fourth place in the 50-meter butterfly, sixth place in the 100-meter freestyle, and seventh place in the 50-meter freestyle. He also added silver medals in the Woodlands 240-279 men’s 200-meter medley relay and the 200-meter freestyle relay.

The South Belt Area “All Stars” Swimming Team is an select swimming team consisting of swimming from ages 9-65 from the Deer Park, Pasadena, Pearland, Friendswood, Clear Lake and Houston South Belt areas.