Gabrielle Kopenski Shines at Texas 5A High School State Championships

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Photo Courtesy: Melissa Lundie

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By Taylor Brien, Swimming World College Intern

AUSTIN—Freshman Gabrielle Kopenski broke a whopping three records at Saturday’s Texas 5A High School State Championships.

On the girls side, Austin Vandegrift swept the competition with 227.5 points. Houston Stratford took second with 165, while Magnolia finished third with 157.

Saturday’s finals session was quick from the beginning with a close race in the girls 200 medley relay. Austin Vandegrift’s relay team of Madison Ibrahim (26.44), Sydney Sanders (31.50), Hannah Palacios (25.81) and Elizabeth Nelson (24.63) were victorious with a 1:48.38. Houston Stratford and Fort Bend Ridge Point battled for second with Houston Stratford edging out the competition with a 1:49.25. Fort Bend Ridge Point were close behind with a 1:49.45.

Gabrielle Kopenski had a spectacular day claiming three new records between her two events. Kopenski first took gold in the 200 free lowering the 5A record of 1:47.65 to 1:46.80.

Haley Yelle of Mansfield Legacy also swam under the 200 free 5A record of 1:47.65 posting a time of 1:47.08 to claim second.

Magnolia’s Caitlin Clements managed to lower the 5A record in the 100 free to 50.39. This replaces Skylar Smith’s 2009 record of 50.90.

Kopenski delivered another swift finish in the 500 free finishing in 4:42.16. Her time broke the 2009 5A record of 4:46.28 held by Allison Arnold, as well as, Jessica White’s 2007 state record of 4:43.10.

Prosper senior Destiny Nelson succeeded in lowering her own 5A record of 54.93 in the 100 back down to 54.13.

It was a quick race to the finish in the girls 200 free relay with Austin Vandegrift (1:37.18), Magnolia West (1:37.48), and Magnolia (1:37.83) all finishing within .65 seconds of each other. The three schools later made up the top three in the 400 free relay with Austin Vandegrift posting first with a 3:30.10 followed by Magnolia (3:31.12) and Magnolia West (3:33.54).

On the boys side, Humble Kingwood Park managed to edge out Frisco Wakeland by 2.5 points for first. Humble Kingwood Park finished with 238.5 while Frisco Wakeland had 236 points. Houston Stratford rounded out the top three with 183 points.

Humble Kingwood Park and Frisco Wakeland began the meet dueling for the top spot. The Humble Kingwood 200 medley relay of Ryan Logan (24.19), David Amoruso (26.61), Sam Poulin (22.34) and Eric Broussard (21.09) touched with a 1:34.23 to claim first. Frisco Wakeland’s Jacob DeMercurio (22.95), Nathan Ciatti (26.33), Jerick Pena (24.35) and Chase Garrott (21.00) finished close behind in 1:34.63.

Frisco Wakeland junior Samuel Kline posted an impressive finish in the 200 free. Kline finished with a 1:38.01 breaking Ian I Lemaistre’s 2012 record of 1:38.43.

The 100 breaststroke proved to be a tight race with the top four finishers all within half a second of each other. Brenham’s Hudson Smith took first in 57.15 with Magnolia’s Forrest Lundy right behind him with 57.32. Frisco’s Tommy Peterson (57.40) claimed third, while El Paso’s Victor Baca (57.65) was fourth.

Houston Stratford and Frisco Wakeland raced to a close finish in the 400 free relay. Houston Stratford’s Timothy Bobo (45.99), Chance Parker (47.92), Nicholas Airola (46.44) and Taylor Nicholas (46.90) finished first in 3:07.25. Frisco Wakeland’s relay of Jacob DeMercurio (46.02), Trevor Liu (48.96), Nathan Ciatti (47.74) and Samuel Kline (44.74) took second with a 3:07.36.

2015 Texas 5A High School State Championships, Live Results – Results

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