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Kingwood Park Leans On Relay Teams In Latest State Championship Win
Dynasty accurately describes the Kingwood Park boys swimming and diving program. The Panthers had previous state crowns from the 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2015 seasons before they competed in the 2020 UIL 5A swimming and diving state championship meet at The University of Texas at Austin's Lee and Joe Jamail Texas Swimming Center. They ultimately scored 215 points on Saturday to add another one in the 2020 season finale.
"They battled hard," Kingwood Park boys swim coach Greg McLain said of his team. "When you come up here, it's always tough."
Kingwood Park finished fifth at state in 2019, but learned from that year's champion.
"We knew we were going to be strong," McLain said of this year's relay teams leading the program charge. "We watched what Georgetown did last year, watched how they won their championship and really tried to learn from what they did. We knew the relays were key [and] we really focused on the sprint events. 5A is getting so fast [and] all the teams are so strong now that you gotta do good in the relays."
The Panthers followed that formula from start to finish on Saturday. Senior Christian Ripp got things going when he teamed up with Tyler Scott, Carter Bennett and Logan Rushing in the first boys' final. The group earned a 1:35.57 time in the Boys 200-yard Medley Relay en route to a third-place event finish. Later on, he joined Brendan Flaherty, Frankie Zelasko and Braden Hunt for a Boys 200-yard Freestyle Relay win and a UIL 5A state record time of 1:24.08.
"It means the world to me," said Ripp. "This is my final time swimming. So, being able to win, go out with a gold medal [and] go out with a state championship, it's the best feeling in the world."
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UIL State Swim Storylines: Carroll Will Lead DFW Charge Again
The 2020 UIL state swim meet will take place at The University of Texas at Austin's Lee and Joe Jamail Texas Swimming Center on Saturday February 15th. VYPE DFW gives you storylines and athletes to watch before the season's final event.
UIL 6A
Southlake Carroll Can Continue Dynasty: It shouldn't be a surprise that the state power qualified as many top tier swimmers as it did. We start on the girls' side because the group includes Kit Kat Zenick in the 50-yard Freestyle and 100-yard Freestyle, Riley Francis in the 200-yard Freestyle, Corbyn Cormack in the 200-yard Individual Medley, Hailey Hernandez in the 1-meter Diving, and three relay teams (200-yard Medley, 200-yard Freestyle and 400-yard Freestyle). Meanwhile, the boys' team will lean on Ryan Perham in the 50-yard Freestyle and 100-yard Butterfly.
Flower Mound Will Make A Splash: The 6A girls program continues Lewisville ISD's athletic tradition by sending 50-yard Freestyle and 500-yard Freestyle swimmer Maggie Gholston and its 200-yard Freestyle Relay team to the Forty Acres.
Others to Watch: Keep an eye on Mansfield's Maddie Mechling in the 200-yard individual medley and 100-yard Backstroke, Allen's Anni Fan in the 100-yard Butterfly and Rockwall-Heath's Alaya Smith in the 100-yard Breaststroke.
UIL 5A
Trio Leads Area District: Frisco ISD, one of the fastest growing school districts in Texas, will send notable competitors to the end of the season event. Frisco Wakeland will be represented by 100-yard butterfly swimmer Conor McKenna and its 200-yard Freestyle Relay team, while Frisco Lone Star's Joelle Reddin will compete in the 200-yard individual medley and 500-yard Freestyle.
Three Schools Will Battle In Two Events: Aledo's Elijah Sohn qualified for the 100-yard Freestyle and 200-yard Freestyle, The Colony's Morgan Gullette did the same in the 200-yard Freestyle and 500-yard Freestyle, and Lucas Lovejoy's Jed Michael Jones and Eason Jones will compete in the boys and girls' 200-yard individual medley.
Others to Watch: On the boys' side, you'll see Fort Worth Boswell's Hunter Boniface in the 100-yard Butterfly and Mansfield Legacy's Eric Stelmar in the 100-yard Backstroke. In girls' competition, McKinney North's Kiara Xanthos will travel to Austin to swim the 100-yard Breaststroke.
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