By Terry Carter
At the ultra-competitive UIL Swimming and Diving State Meet this weekend, Katy ISD divers excelled with Seven Lakes junior standout Kailey Koval raising the bar by placing sixth in 1-meter girls’ diving.
According to Seven Lakes swimming coach Jordan Beck, Koval’s result is the best ever for a Lady Spartan diver. She already holds the Seven Lakes school records for 6 and 11 dives. Koval may also earn additional accolades and recognition soon.
“Kailey could be our first diving All-American (in June). Sixth place is the highest ever for us,” Beck said. “And she should be First Team All-State.”
Katy sophomore diver Avery Coates also finished in the Top 10 among 6A divers at the state meet. She placed 10th with 414.25 points where .65 separated 9th, 10th and 11th place among the top female divers. Texas has a national reputation for quality diving, and Koval and Coates will return to improve their stellar performances.
6A male divers Matthew Aigner (441.55)Daniel Barrient (433.80), both from Tompkins, finished ninth and 10th. In the 5A state meet, Jordan junior diver Kaiden Duvall (224.75) finished 14th in boys’ 1-meter diving.
In the men’s team 6A competition, Southlake Carroll (229 team points) won over Kingwood (203) and The Woodlands (188.5). The Taylor Mustangs (92) finished seventh overall to lead the Katy ISD state qualifiers. Other Katy ISD teams included: Tompkins (24) tied for 26th, Cinco Ranch (18) placed 31st and Seven Lakes (12) tied for 41st.
In the women’s 6A team race, Southlake Carroll (243) out swam The Woodlands (227). Locally Cinco Ranch (15) tied for 27th, Seven (14) tied for 29th, Taylor (13) tied for 31st and Katy (7) tied for 40th place.
6A swimming highlights included:
- The Taylor Boys’ 200-Yard Medley Relay team swam 1:33.66 to place fifth. In the 400 Freestyle Relay, the Mustangs (3:06.49) took sixth place
- Taylor junior Logan Pack (21.12) placed 11th in the 50-Yard Freestyle. Pack also finished seventh in the 100 Backstroke in 49.98 after swimming 49.57 in his prelim race
- Taylor senior Nick Schmid (49.17 final/48.97 prelim) took sixth place win the men’s 100 Butterfly that included a personal-best prelim race
- Seven Lakes junior Taylor Craft (52.77) took 16th in the women’s 100-Yard Freestyle
- Cinco Ranch senior Brandon Guo (45.69) placed 11th in the men’s 100-Yard Freestyle
- Seven Lakes freshman standout Connor Jones played 14th in the 500-Yard Freestyle (4:34.14). Jones also placed ninth in the 200-Yard Freestyle with a 1:39.89 that received All-American consideration, according to his coach
- The Cinco Ranch men (1:25.86) finished 11th in the 200 Freestyle Relay; Tompkins (1:26.74) placed 16th in the same race
- In the women’s 100 Breaststroke, Cinco Ranch freshman standout Marley Barnard (1:02.86) finished fourth in a dazzling performance. Taylor junior Mariana Diaz Ponce (1:03.08) placed sixth in the same race with a personal-best performance, according to Taylor swim coach Matt Apple.
5A swimming and diving highlights included:
- The Jordan Lady Warriors earned 104 points to place seventh as a team in the 5A team rankings with sophomore Kaeli White winning the 200-Yard Freestyle state championship in 1:51.13. While also swam in the 500 Freestyle (4:59.40), placing fourth
- The Jordan men’s team placed 21st with 40 points; Frisco Wakeland (259.5) dominated the state 5A meet downing runner-up Georgetown (171) and College Station A&M (155) in third place
- Jordan female relays did well in all three races. In the 200 Medley Relay (1:51.58), Jordan earned 10th place. In the 200 Freestyle Relay, the Lady Warriors (1:38.43) tied for fourth place. Jordan 400 Freestyle Relay swimmers (3:38.69) placed 12th in the final relay.
- Jordan freshman Emma Aumaugher (2:06.21) earned ninth place with the seven-fastest time among 5A state finalists. Aumaugher (56.80) also placed 10th in the 100 Butterfly
- Sophomore Warrior Sebastian Leal (48.16) placed 15th in the 100 Freestyle
- Jordan male junior diver Kaiden Duvall (224.75) finished 14th in boys’ 1-meter diving
- The Warriors finished strong, taking 11th place in the 400 Freestyle Relay, posting a time of 3:12.77.