Oklahoma HS swimming: Storylines, athletes to watch at the state meets

The final week of the Oklahoma high school swimming season is here.

With regionals ending earlier this month, the state meets are coming up.

Class 6A will start things off with its preliminary races beginning at 2 p.m. Thursday. The Class 5A prelims are set for 10:30 a.m. Friday before the Class 6A finals at 5:30 p.m. The Class 5A championships are set for 2 p.m. Saturday.

All races will be held at Edmond Public Schools Aquatic Center.

Here are a few storylines and 10 Oklahoma City area swimmers to watch.

Top storylines Edmond North looks to claim Class 6A titles. The Huskies’ boys and girls

squads both won the Class 6A West Regional earlier this month and have been stellar throughout the season. The girls team is the defending champion, while the boys placed second last year. Both teams will try to get it done this time, and a closely contested showdown between Edmond North and four-time defending champion Jenks is expected on the boys side.

Shawnee girls shooting for second straight Class 5A crown. The Wolves

won the Class 5A West Regional this month and have several talented swimmers, most notably Missouri signee Piper McNeil. Shawnee claimed its first swimming title last season and has a solid shot of adding another.

Carl Albert boys eye first championship. The Titans won the Class 5A West Regional, beating Altus by 90 points. Carl Albert has captured three girls swimming titles but none on the boys side. The Titans have an excellent chance of changing that.

Oklahoma City-area swimmers to watch

Kaida Bradley, Fr., Norman: She has proved she’s one of the top young swimmers in the state. Bradley won the 200-yard freestyle (1 minute, 57.95 seconds) and 500 freestyle (5:16.03) at the

Class 6A West Regional.

Jadie Brister, Sr., Norman North: She won the 100 butterfly (58.24) and 200 individual medley (2:11.31) at the Class 6A West Regional and will try to have a solid performance at the state meet before continuing her career at Oklahoma Christian University.

Ryan Healy, Sr., Edmond North: A Michigan signee, Healy is the Central Oklahoma Athletic Conference Boys Swimmer of the Year. He won Class 6A West Regional championships in the 200 individual medley (1:59.80) and 500 freestyle (4:47.82). Along with that, he was a member of Edmond North’s 200 medley relay (1:40.84) and 400 freestyle relay (3:20.01) teams that captured titles.

Laney Jones, So., Edmond North: She’s the COAC Girls Swimmer of the Year and was outstanding at the Class 6A West Regional. Jones won the 50 freestyle (24.43) and 100 freestyle (54.98) and helped the Huskies claim titles in the 200 freestyle relay (1:43.02) and 400 freestyle relay (3:47.13).

Connor Leader, Fr., Newcastle: He’s already making a name for himself and is coming off victories in the 100 breaststroke (1:02.86) and 200 individual medley (2:02.22) at the Class 5A West Regional.

Macy Lewis, Jr., McGuinness: The Texas A&M commit is having a dominant career with the Irish. Her most recent victories came at the Class 5A West Regional, where she won titles in the 100 butterfly (57.13) and 500 freestyle (5:11.81).

Avery Littlefield, Jr., Stillwater: She’s been one of the state’s top swimmers since her freshman season. At the Class 6A East Regional this month, Littlefield won the 50 freestyle (23.68) and 100 freestyle (51.66).

Piper McNeil, Sr., Shawnee: She’s having another great season and is coming off victories in the 100 freestyle (52.04) and 100 backstroke (56.26) at the Class 5A West Regional. She also helped Shawnee win the 200 medley relay (1:52.85) and 400 freestyle relay (3:47.50). McNeil holds the state record in the 100 backstroke (55.41) and the Class 5A state record in the 200 freestyle (1:51.13).

JD Thumann, Fr., Norman: He’s having a great debut season for the Tigers and won Class 6A West Regional crowns in the 100 butterfly (51.11) and 200 freestyle (1:43.82).

Kaleb Vaughn, Sr., Carl Albert: He claimed four titles at the Class 5A West Regional. Vaughn competed in the 100 butterfly (53.48), 100 backstroke (57.82), 200 medley relay (1:44.13) and 200 freestyle relay (1:34.49).

NATHAN J. FISH/THE OKLAHOMAN Norman North’s Jadie Brister competes in the 200-yard individual medley during the Class 6A West Regional at Edmond Public Schools Aquatic Center on Feb. 3.