Stratford, The Woodlands, Cinco Ranch open strong
AUSTIN — Preliminaries at the University Interscholastic League state swimming meet can be the most difficult day of the season.
“I always tell the kids that after they finish regionals,” Stratford coach Mike Hoskovec said. “The meet moves really quickly with only two heats of everything, and it kind of sneaks up on everyone. Everyone is expecting success, but it’s a real rough day to swim.”
It’s a day that can torpedo a team’s chances of winning a state title. All swimmers advance to Saturday, but those in the consolation finals can pick up a maximum of only nine points; the last-place finisher in finals picks up 11.
“Just survive today, race tomorrow,” Hoskovec told his 400-yard freestyle team after it advanced to the A finals with an eighth-place finish. “We got in. That’s what matters most today.”
And Hoskovec was thrilled with the results.
Stratford’s six relay teams — three boys, three girls — placed in the top eight in preliminaries.
“Can’t ask for anything better than that,” Hoskovec said. “It puts us in a chance to win a team title tomorrow.”
The Class 5A finals are scheduled to start at 9:30 a.m. Saturday at the University of Texas Lee and Joe Jamail Texas Swimming Center. Class 6A will follow at 3:30 p.m.
On Friday, Stratford posted the best preliminary time in the girls 200-yard medley relay when Kaitlyn White touched the wall with a time of 1 minute, 48.85 seconds.
White and fellow freshman Emma Stephenson helped the Spartans overtake Cedar Park in the final two legs. Stephenson swam her 50-yard leg in 24.70 seconds; White checked in at 25.16.
Later, in the final event of the morning session, the Stratford boys posted the second-best time in the 400-yard freestyle, clocking in at 3:13.24.
In Class 6A, The Woodlands girls had the perfor- mances necessary to set up a duel with two-time defending champion Austin Westlake on Saturday.
The Woodlands finished second behind Westlake at the regional meet but should have a level playing field Saturday, particularly with sophomore Lucie Nordmann leading the way.
Nordmann posted the best time in the girls 100yard backstroke at 53.35. She also grabbed the second seed in the 50-yard freestyle in 23.08 seconds.
Monica Gumina from College Park had the best preliminary time in the girls 200-yard freestyle at 1:49.90.
The Cinco Ranch boys led the way in the 200-yard medley relay with a time of 1:32.75. Junior Glen Cowand was part of that relay team and later posted the best time in the 100-yard backstroke at 47.55 seconds.
Cinco Ranch had all three of its boys relays finish in the top three, setting the table for a potential team title push Saturday.