AUSTIN – Saturday’s finals at the University Interscholastic League Swimming and Diving Championships will be rife with Houston-area competitors.

But for all the dominance local teams displayed across the board, the area’s flag is perhaps waving proudest in the diving competition.

Five of the top eight boys divers and four of the top eight girls in Friday’s preliminaries at the Texas Swim Center are from metro Houston. The Woodlands claims both leaders – Vennie Dantin on the girls side and Drew Livingston on the boys.

Livingston’s 409.35 points put him 55 ahead of Pearland’s Sam Decker and 100 in front of third-place Chris Khosravi from Fort Bend Elkins entering the finals. Cy-Fair junior Hudson Rains is fifth and Clear Creek’s Bradley Berryhill is eighth.

“For club diving we dive against each other all the time,” Rains said. “There are lots of great divers here. It’s awesome competition. These divers are tremendously good and that makes this really tough.”

Dentin has 323.25 points. She is followed by Spring’s Kaylea Arnett in third (320.1), Kingwood’s Loren Figueroa in seventh (292.7) and Memorial’s Chelsea McCorvey in eighth (291.25).

The top eight swimmers from each event advanced to the championship finals. The second eight qualified for the consolation finals.

The area’s top boys performers included Cypress Falls senior Neil Caskey, who leads the 100 butterly (49.19) and 200 freestyle (1:37.68); Mayde Creek’s Randall Smith, who leads the 100 free (45.63) and is third in the 50 free (20.72); and Stratford standout Hunter Bayley, who is second in the 200 free (1:38.75) and 500 free (4:30.83).

“He (Caskey) has been phenomenal,” Cy Falls coach Tina Hughes said. “He’s added some fun to his career to go along with his U.S. training. … He’s always been dedicated to that but swimming high school has given him that extra boost, that degree of happiness in excelling in placing first and giving him extra confidence for those national meets.”

Smith, one of five Mayde Creek individuals who advance, also swam the first leg of the 400 free relay. He broke his arm last year and didn’t make state.

Mayde Creek’s Tim Jones was fourth in the 100 free (46.19) and seventh in the 200 free (1:41.42).

Bayley was edged in the last five legs of the 500 free by Southlake Carroll’s Wil Singley, who won by 2.72 seconds.

“Wil always has a fantastic finish,” Stratford coach Michael Hoskovec said. “You have a choice. Either you finish hard in prelims or you kind of live to fight another day. Hunter has more there tomorrow. There’s some faster swimming tomorrow for both those guys.”

Katy ISD had a banner day.

Cinco Ranch’s boys were paced by Jason Ting, who was third in the 200 IM (1:53.74) and 100 breast (58.12); and Cheyne Hermes, who was sixth in the 100 breast (58.57).

The Cougars also advanced in the 200 medley relay.

Eisenhower’s Karson Applin was eighth in the 100 breast (58.99), Lamar’s Zach Holmes is seventh in the 100 free (46.95) and Cy Creek’s Peter O’Brien is sixth in the 200 IM (1:55.22) and also was on Creek’s eighth-place 200 medley relay team.

Stratford’s girls qualified for the championships in the 200 free relay and 200 medley relay.

“These relays hit regionals and they just jelled,” Hoskovec said. “To have two relay teams in the finals is tremendously exciting.”

Cy-Fair senior Jennifer Lamb is fourth in the 200 free (1:50.07) and 500 free (1:56.25).

“I just have to swim my own race. Whether the other person has a good or a bad day, you don’t want to rely on that,” said Lamb, a UCLA commit who has advanced to state in the 200 and 500 the past four years. “I look forward to doing well here again. It’s always exciting. It never changes.”

Other area girls who advanced included Cypress Woods’ Seraphina Van in the 200 IM (sixth, 2:05.34) and Lamar’s Shelby Bottoms in the same event (eighth, 2:06.87).

For complete results, click here.

4A

Seven Lakes advanced three relays and four individuals to Saturday’s finals.

Freshman Anne Steele advanced in the 200 IM (2:11.67) and 100 butterfly (58.07), and sophomore Kyra Jones qualified in the 500 free (5:15.2) and placed first in the 100 backstroke (58.96) to pace the Spartans. Other finals qualifiers were Bri Dillon in the 50 freestyle (25.26) and Kara Wilkerson in the 200 free (1:59.17).

Advancing in the relays were the 400 free, 200 free and 200 medley, which placed first.

EDITOR’S NOTE: Because of contractual obligations, The Athlete’s Connection cannot sell photos from UIL state meets.

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