Fulshear girls, Friendswood boys place second at state meet

The Fulshear girls swimming team won three individual golds, three silvers and set records in two relays at the the UIL Class 5A swimming and diving championships.

But when it came to a team state title, the Chargers came up just shy at Lee & Joe Jamail Texas Swimming Center.

Fulshear took second place with 191 points, just three shy of champion Frisco Reedy. Boerne Champion was third with 164 points. Friendswood was fourth (144 points), Foster was eighth (113) and Kingwood Park was 10th (96).

On the boys’ side, Friendswood also set a state meet record and finished second overall to Georgetown. The Eagles totaled 197 points to Friendswoods’ 183. Lubbock took third with 145. Kempner had a fine day with a fifth-place result and 122.5 points. Foster was ninth with 100 points.

Fulshear’s girls 200 freestyle relay — Avery Dillon, Emma Nowotny, Cyrah Robinson and Kailey Kennedy — finished first and shattered the Class 5A state meet record with a time of 1:34.55. Four years ago, Austin Johnson set the record in 1:36.36.

To end the meet, Kennedy, Robinson, Nowotny and Dillon also set the 400 freestyle relay record with a time of 3:28.01 (beating Highland Park’s 3:28.72 set in 2004).

Kennedy and Robinson took first and second respectively in both the 50 freestyle and the 100 butterfly. Kennedy finished the 50 freestyle in 22.94 while Robinson touched the wall in 23.61.

In the 100 butterfly, Kennedy beat out Robinson 54.40 to 55.76.

Dillon also brought home gold for the Chargers as she finished the 500 freestyle at 4:52.56 and a silver in the 200 freestyle at 1:50.20.

Friendswood junior KK LeBlanc finished with two gold medals. She was first in the 200 freestyle (1:47.24) and the 100 freestyle (49.53).

Friendswood also took bronze in the 400 freestyle relay as Paige McCray, Edi Jakob, Andelynn Jeanes and LeBlanc combined on a time of 3:33.22.

Lake Creek senior

Julie Moons won gold in one-meter diving after finishing second a year ago. Moons earned a score of 462.55 for the win.

Lake Creek senior Lauren Matula earned bronze in the 500 freestyle (4:59.21) and just missed medaling in the 200 freestyle (1:52.68) with a fourth-place finish.

The Friendswood boys improved by one spot in the team standings after finishing third a year ago.

The Mustangs opened the meet with a bang as the 200 individual medley relay of Tony Laurito, Nick Hardt, Marshall Odom and Caleb Livesay set the Class 5A state meet record in 1:31.54. They beat the record set by Georgetown of 1:31.79 set in 2021.

Laurito and Odom weren’t finished as each won two golds apiece.

Laurito won the 200 individual medley (1:48.13) and the 100 backstroke (49.04). Odom added wins in the 50 freestyle (19.96) and the 100 butterfly (47.61).

The Friendswood 400 freestyle relay of Odom, Hardt, Livesay and Laurito took silver in 3:07.46.

Kempner junior Jack Boysen earned silver medals in the 50 freestyle (20.22) and the 100 freestyle (45.60).

The Kempner 200 freestyle relay team of Arthur Newton, Boysen, Justin Chacon and Tanner Maxson won bronze in 1:25.28.

Arthur earned a bronze in the 200 freestyle at 1:39.25.