Boys’ swim team regional champions
By Tom Behrens
Six St. John XXIII school swimming records were broken at the state tournament, including one from 2008 (boys 50 free). Photo Credit: Katherine Neundorfer.
The Lions boys’ swim team won the regional meet at U of H in January, enabling the swimmers to qualify for the state meet this past weekend at the Josh Davis Natatorium in San Antonio. This year was the first year in TAPPS 6A sports competition for the private school, with the exception of football. The football team competed in a TAPPS independent league. “It was good for the swimmers to go into this large district and come out successful,” said Lions Athletic Director, Bobby Jackson.
After winning the Eastern Region Division II Swim Meet last year, and moving up to Division I this year, the boys’ swim team repeated as Region Champions, beating last year’s champion St. Thomas 123-112.
Tomball Concordia Lutheran was third with 108. The girls finished 6th with excellent performances from the entire team. The girls had 68 percent lifetime best swims and the boys had 76 percent for a combined team improvement of 72 percent.
A shout out to some of the swimmers
Top-three finishers in each event are automatic State Qualifiers and include Lexi Truong, Adley Marsh, Addy Seeley, and Emmi Rotta in the 200-yd medley relay; Korbin Podolak, Peyton Martin, Ben Rehfeld, and David Lloyd in the 200-yd medley relay; Paul Polzer, Canyon Neundorfer, Mark Lloyd, and Ben Rehfeld in the 200-yd freestyle relay; Paul Polzer, Canyon Neundorfer, David Lloyd, and Korbin Podolak in the 400-yd freestyle relay; Ben Rehfeld in the 200 freestyle and 100 butterfly; David Lloyd in the 50 and 100 freestyle; Canyon Neundorfer and Adam Tate in the 500 freestyle; and Korbin Podolak in the 100 backstroke.
“We had several girls in relays qualify, but the boys placed first, two years in a row that they won the regional meet, pretty good for our swim program,” said Coach Jackson. The team practices at Morton Ranch High School At Josh Davis Natatorium, Northeast ISD in San Antonio, Feb. 11
Lions swim coach, Dana Abbot reports four of the five relays improved their times from Region, and 13 of 14 individual times improved, and were also lifetime bests for the swimmers involved.
Six St. John XXIII school records were broken, including one from 2008 (boys 50 free).
Individual results:
*[r] indicates record:
Girls 200 MEDLEY RELAY
10. Lexi Truong, Adley Marsh, Addy Seeley, and Emmi Rotta, 2:05.89.
Boys 200 MEDLEY RELAY
6. Korbin Podolak, Peyton Martin, Justice Ruiz, and Mark Lloyd, 1:48.83.
Boys 200 FREE
3. Ben Rehfeld 1:46.10 [r]
5. Canyon Neundorfer, 1:53.42
14. Jack Desjardins, 2:07.10
16. Chris Echevarria, 2:09.85
Boys 200 INDIVIDUAL MEDLEY
9. Korbin Podolak, 2:11.49
11. Justice Ruiz, 2:14.72
Boys 50 FREE
9. David Lloyd, 23.31 [r]
Boys 100 FLY
4. Ben Rehfeld, 54.29
Boys 100 FREE
11. David Lloyd, 52.38
Boys 500 FREE
5, Canyon Neundorfer, 5:07.70 [r]
14, Adam Tate, 5:46.75
Boys 200 FREE RELAY
4. Paul Polze, Mark Lloyd, David Lloyd, and Ben Rehfeld, 1:33.82 [r]
Boys 100 BACK
6. Korbin Podolak, 57.86 [r]
15. Justice Ruiz, 1:01.29
Boys 100 BREAST
12. Peyton Martin, 1:08.68
Girls 400 FREE RELAY
8. Addy Seeley, Blake Johnson, Lexi Truong, and Emmi Rotta, 4:04.80.
Boys 400 FREE RELAY
3. Paul Polzer, David Lloyd, Korbin Podolak, and Ben Rehfeld, 3:25.14 [r]
In addition, the boys were also Eastern Region Division 1 Champions.
Boys 200 FREE, Boys 50 FREE, Boys 500 FREE, Boys 200 FREE RELAY, Boys 100 BACK and Boys 400 FREE RELAY… six school records broken. Congratulations to the swimmers at St. John XXIII High School.