Kaitlyn Owens Breaks Class Mark as Lubbock Claims Texas Girls 5A State Championships

Photo Courtesy: Texas UIL Twitter (@uiltexas)

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The 2020 Texas 5A Girls’ State Swimming and Diving Championships took place on Saturday, Feb. 15 at the Lee and Joe Jamail Natatorium on the campus of University of Texas – Austin.

The Class 5A record book was rewritten a total of three times throughout the meet. CS A&M Consolidated’s Kaitlyn Owens broke the class mark in the 100 back with a time of 53.85, while the 4×50 medley and 4×50 free relay records also fell.

It was a tight team race, but Lubbock showed their impressive depth to capture the Girls 5A State Championship title with a final score of 186. Austin Johnson finished a close second with 177 points while Magnolia took third with a score of 171.

Click HERE for full results and team scores.

Top 5 Team Scores:

1. Lubbock – 186
2. Austin Johnson – 177
3. Magnolia – 171
4. Friendswood – 168
5. Montgomery – 119

Friendswood’s Lezli Sisung (25.96), Peyton Becker (30.66), Olivia Theall (24.05), and Abigail Nelson (24.54) began the meet by winning the opening 4×50 medley relay in 1:45.21, nearly a full second ahead of runner-up Lubbock (1:46.16). A&M Consolidated was third in 1:48.00. Friendswood’s time broke the previous 5A record of 1:45.75 set in 2017 by Frisco.

Pflugerville Weiss’ Ana Herceg successfully defended her state title in the 200 free after stopping the clock in 1:47.85 to win by two full seconds. Lamar Fulshear’s Briana Roberson also snuck under the 1:50-barrier in 1:49.81 for second place while third place went to Alexis Wheeler of Kennedale in 1:52.67.

Georgetown East View’s Jess Yeager got out to a quick start in the 200 IM and never looked back en route to winning the event in a final time of 2:02.57. Frisco Lone Star’s Joelle Reddin used a stellar back-half to finish second in 2:03.24 while Theall wound up third in 2:05.45.

After placing second in the 50 free last season, Austin Johnson’s Ava Longi found herself on top of the podium this year after splashing-and-dashing her way to a quick 23.14. Owens was right behind her in 23.18 for silver while Frisco Independence’s Sienna Schellenger grabbed bronze in 23.34.

Colleyville Heritage’s Abby Devereaux dove to first on the 1-meter board after posting a final score of 447.75 for the win. Defending champion Payton Props of Lubbock placed second with 439.90 points while Frisco Memorial’s Peyton Guziec took a third with a score of 427.60.

Theall, who has committed to Texas A&M, flew to first place in the 100 fly with a final time of 54.04 after finishing second in 2019. Lubbock freshman Ellis Fox posted a time of 54.72 for the runner-up spot as Theall’s teammate Sisung took third with a time of 55.05.

Soon-to-be Texas Longhorn Longi proved her sprint talent by adding 100 free gold to match her 50 free victory from earlier. The senior touched the wall in 50.38 to hold off a charging Roberson, who finished second in 50.70. Future Texas A&M Aggie and defending champ JoJo Daspit of Montgomery was third in 51.08.

Not too long after winning the 200 free, Herceg added another title in the 500 free. She dropped over seven seconds from her prelims time to win in 4:52.40 as Reddin also broke five minutes with a time of 4:56.65 for second. Lewisville The Colony’s Morgan Gullette was third in 5:04.04.

Austin Johnson’s Elizabeth Myers (23.72), Jules Hays (25.05), Alex Watson (24.36) and Longi (23.23) dominated the 4×50 free relay, winning by nearly three seconds in a combined time of 1:36.36. Montgomery (1:39.27) and Magnolia (1:39.29) completed the top three. Austin Johnson’s winning time eclipsed San Antonio Alamo Heights’ 2015 class 5A record of 1:36.39.

Owens, the 2019 runner-up in the 100 back, clinched the gold medal this year after powering home to the wall in 53.85 to shave two seconds from her prelims time. Her time also broke the previous class 5A mark of 54.13 set by Prosper’s Destiny Nelson in 2015. Fox raced to the silver medal with a time of 55.30 while Sisung grabbed bronze in 55.68.

Yeager followed up her 200 IM victory with another winning performance in the 100 breast. The senior got her hands to the wall the fastest in 1:03.48, slightly ahead of runner-up Lindsey Hosch (1:03.96) of Dallas Highland Park. Austin McCallum’s Zoe Lynch was third in 1:04.91.

Longi (51.74), Hays (53.96), Watson (53.91), and Myers (50.69) teamed up again to give Austin Johnson another relay victory after claiming the 4×100 free relay in 3:30.30. It was a tight race as Lubbock took a close second in 3:30.34 while Friendswood was right behind in 3:30.49 for third.

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Travis Turner

4 years ago

Kim Dion Gonder good pic…

Kim Dion Gonder

4 years ago

Travis Turner that’s great! Thanks for pointing it out!

Mandy Weightman

4 years ago

Travis Turner I was looking and thinking umm that’s not Owens lol but that is a great pic of Olivia! I got some of her today, I’ll send them tomorrow.