Carl Albert wins third straight state championship
EDMOND — The Carl Albert swimming program faced some serious adversity this season.
Along with dealing with issues related to the corona virus pandemic, the Titans' home pool had equipment failure.
“Our kids were literally out of the water for 10 weeks during the middle of the season,” coach Kirk Norman said.
That didn' t stop the Carl Albert girls team from reaching its ultimate goal.
The Titans won t heir third consecutive Class 5A state title Tuesday at Edmond Public Schools Aquatic Center.
Carl Albert finished with 241 points to place ahead of Tulsa Kelley (225) and Fort Gibson (208).
Norman is proud of all of the state titles he has won, but this one was a little more special than the others because of everything the swimmers went through, including not being able to practice in their pool from November to early January.
“We were swimming at the YMCAs, any place we could find water,” he said. “But you can only get little bitty lanes and only a little bit of time, and they can't take a team of 47. We were just swimming at meets.”
Senior Ma di So ucie (50- yard freestyle) and sophomore Shelbie Price ( 100 freestyle) were the only Carl Albert swimmers to place in the top five in an event.
But the Titans had enough solid swimmers to accumulate points and extend their state championship streak.
“We're not a team built on superstars,” Norman said. “We're a team built on a whole team, and it's all about team.”
McGuinness freshman Lewis beats pair of defending champions
Ma cy Lewis showed everyone in attendance Tuesday she's on track for a storied high school career.
The McGuinness freshman claimed state titles in the 100 butterfly and 100 back stroke after beatinga pair of two-time defending state champion juniors.
Lewis finished the 100 butterfly in 58.21 to defeat Newcastle' s Ashley Leader, then completed the 100 backstroke in 58.23 to knock off Heritage Hall's Gracie Shapard (1:00.00).
Lewis was nonchalant and relaxed after taking down the best swimmers in Class 5A.
“It's just exciting to be swimming in high school with my friends ,” she said.
Sophomore Victoria W hit beck also had an impressive day for Mc Guinness, which placed sixth at the meet. She won the 200 freestyle (1:58.77) and placed second in the 500 freestyle (5:21.56).
Leader bounced back from her loss in the 100 butterfly, an event s he won by 8.91 seconds at last year' s state meet. She completed t he 1 00 breaststroke in 1: 05.60, earning the fourth gold medal of her career.