If there was a slogan for District 22-5A swimming, “small but mighty” works well.
Consisting of just four teams, Friday’s district meet at Belton ISD’s Roy and Jean Potts Swim Center took less than 3 hours from start to finish. Still, the competition was top-notch, and Killeen ISD’s swimmers from Chaparral and Ellison certainly fit right in.
The Lady Bobcats captured second place in the team standings in between Lake Belton and Belton, Ellison’s two swimmers in action announced their presence, and the Bobcats picked up where they left off last season. More important, nearly all of the KISD swimmers moved on to the Class 5A Region VI meet at Texas A&M’s Rec Center Natatorium.
All relays entered –– unless disqualified –– and top-six individuals in each event earned another couple weeks of practice and their trip south in early February.
“Our team has progressed a lot. We started the year with over half the team being freshmen, just starting competitive swimming. To see them place at district now, I’m very proud,” said CHS junior Connor Bratton, who frequented the podium Friday by finishing second in the 200-yard freestyle and third in the 500 free.
Multiple qualifiers were common for CHS and EHS, including Eagles freshman Derek Gomez Ramos, who shook off some butterflies to advance in the 50 free and 100 backstroke.
“As some who just started swimming this year, I’m actually super proud. Usually, I get super nervous before events but that all went away the moment I hit the water,” Gomez Ramos said before crediting coach Lara Sursa for his success as well as a steady dose of hard work in practice.
Gomez Ramos’ teammate Jaydon Skinner qualified in the 100 backstroke.
As for the Lady Bobcats, five advanced in two individual events apiece, including sophomore Mikayla Cobb, who will make her regional debut.
“It feels good because it gives me another chance and it proves the hark work I put in is really paying off,” Cobb said, adding that the runner-up team finish was a sign that the Lady Bobcats were clicking at the right time.
“We got it together and we really worked as a team,” she said.
Jesse Grant, Jovonni Mann and Nathaniel Symonds joined Bratton on two qualifying relays and also moved on in two individual events each.
“Today was really good for the team –– almost everyone made it to regionals, which is really good for everybody. It was just a great meet, great people, great atmosphere, and great opponents, too,” Grant said. “I did pretty good today and got most of what I wanted, and I’ll try to get better the next time around.”
That next time around is in two weeks in College Station.
“All you can really do is start to taper off and try to keep as much muscle as possible, while still fixing any small technique issues and staying as fit as possible,” Bratton said.
More photos of the meet can be found by visiting Killeen ISD’s Flickr page here.
KISD’s regional qualifiers
Chaparral
Girls
200 medley relay, (Jaslynn Fowlkes, Shamcinn Dabalos, Milakya Cobb, Taliyah Talley), second
200 free relay, (Mikayla Cobb, Kaylee Clarke, Lailah Valadez, Myrna Cintron-Resto), third
400 free relay, (Kaylee Clarke, Lailah Valadez, Ivelisse Ortiz, Myrna Cintron-Resto), third
Kaylee Clarke, 200 freestyle, sixth; 500 free, fifth
Mikayla Cobb, 200 IM, third; 100 butterfly, fourth
Lailah Valadez, 200 IM, fourth; 100 backstroke, sixth
Myrna Cintron-Resto, 50 free, fourth; 100 backstroke, fifth
Taliyah Talley, 50 free, sixth; 100 free, sixth
Jaslynn Fowlkes, 100 free, fourth
Ivelisse Ortiz, 100 free, fifth
Shamcinn Dabalos, 100 breaststroke, sixth
Boys
200 free relay, (Jovonni Mann, Jesse Grant, Nathaniel Symonds, Connor Bratton), second
400 free relay, (Jovonni Mann, Jesse Grant, Nathaniel Symonds, Connor Bratton), third
Connor Bratton, 200 free, second; 500 free, third
Jesse Grant, 200 IM, second; 100 backstroke, second
Jovonni Mann, 50 free, fourth; 100 free, fourth
Nathaniel Symonds, 100 free, sixth; 100 breaststroke, sixth
Ellison
Boys
Derek Gomez Ramos, 50 free, fifth; 100 backstroke, fifth
Jaydon Skinner, 100 backstroke, third