The FHS Swimming and Diving Team qualified eight Lady Mustang Swimmers and one Mustang swimmer to attend the Texas 4A UIL State Swimming & Diving Championships on February 26 and 27. They had an exciting send-off by the student body, staff and the FHS drum line on February 25 and they carried that momentum with them all the way to Austin where the girls team finished eighth in the team rankings!

           In individual events, Senior Melissa Watson took fourth place in the 100 Breaststroke and eighth place in the 200 Freestyle. Sophomore Rachel Cragin grabbed eighth place in the 100 Butterfly. Junior Alexandria Taylor earned 13th place in the 500 Freestyle, and Freshman Philip Stevens finished in 16th place in the 100 Backstroke.
           In the relays, the 200 Medley Relay Team of Kelsey Castro, Melissa Watson, Rachel Cragin & Lauren Lundquist finished in sixth place, the 200 Freestyle Relay team of Rachel Cragin, McKenna Harclerode, Lauren Lundquist & Hailey Lutz took ninth place and the 400 Freestyle Relay team of McKenna Harclerode, Rachel Cragin, Meagan Westhoven and Melissa Watson took seventh place.
           The team had a wonderful time in Austin and was very appreciative of all the support they got from their fellow teammates and students who drove up to watch them compete, according to Swim Coach John Little. They were especially thrilled to have Superintendent Trish Hanks, Principal Mark Griffon and Athletic Director Steve Van Meter there at the meet to cheer for them.    

Lady Mustang Swimming, Diving Team takes first, Mustang Swimming takes second at Region 6-4A Meet

             The Lady Mustang Swimming & Diving team took first place for the 8th straight time at the Region 6-4A Championship Meet held on Feb. 12  & 13 at the University of Houston. The Friendswood girls scored 518 points to beat Lamar Consolidated's girls who scored 332 points.
             The Mustang Swim team improved to second place from last year's third place finish and narrowly missed bringing the first place trophy back to Friendswood again by only 33 points. Lamar Consolidated's boys scored 367 points topping the Friendswood boy's score of 334.
             The Friendswood Swimming & Diving combined team score was 852 points, well ahead of Lamar Consolidated, who's teams combined to score 699 points overall.
             Swimmers must win a gold medal at Region or have one of the next 8 fastest times in the state that did not gold medal (a.k.a. call-up times) to advance to the State Championship. For the divers, the gold and silver medalist from each of the 8 Regions advance to State.
             Lady Mustang Gold Medal winners advancing to State: 200 Medley Relay - Kelsey Castro, Melissa Watson, Rachel Cragin & Lauren Lundquist; 200 Free - Melissa Watson; 500 Free - Alexandria Taylor; and 100 Breast - Melissa Watson.
             Mustang Gold Medal winners advancing to State is 100 Back - Philip Stevens.
             Lady Mustang Silver Medal winners advancing to State with "call-up" times:  100 Fly - Rachel Cragin; 200 Free Relay–Hailey Lutz, Lauren Lundquist, McKenna Harclerode and Rachel Cragin; 400 Free Relay -Hailey Lutz, McKenna Harclerode, Meagan Westhoven and Melissa Watson.
             Additional Lady Mustang Silver Medalists were 200 Free - Alexandria Taylor; 200 IM - Meagan Westhoven; and 100 Back - Rachel Cragin.
             Lady Mustang Bronze Medalists were: 1 Mtr Diving - Alysa Van Vooren; 100 Back - Kelsey Castro; and 100 Breast - Meagan Westhoven.
              Bronze Medal winners for the Mustangs were: 200 Medley Relay - Philip Stevens, Jared Maloy, Alec Maloy & Daniel Rockey; 500 Free - Taylor Watson; 100 Back - Michael Tomerlin; and 400 Free Relay - Philip Stevens, Nick Bowen, Jared Maloy & Daniel Rockey.
             The following Lady Mustang swimmers also earned points for the team: 200 Free - Kelsey Castro (5th); 200 IM- Mady Maloy(4th); Taylor Kukulinski; (8th); Kristyn Cox (9th); 50 Free - Lauren Lundquist (4th); Hailey Lutz (7th); McKenna Harclerode (8th); 1 Mtr Diving - Grace Moore (5th); 100 Fly - Julia Maloy (8th); Chandler Metcalf (9th); Brittany Philbrick (11th); 100 Free - Lauren Lundquist (4th); McKenna Harclerode (5th); Hailey Lutz (7th); 500 Free - Sarah Corpening (5th); Alana Semple (6th); Julia Maloy (12th); 100 Back - Mady Maloy (6th) Morgan Upchurch (9th); 100 Breast - Kristyn Cox (5th).
             The following Mustang swimmers also earned points: 200 Free - Daniel Rockey (4th); Nick Bowen (5th); Will Kibikas (6th); Cameron McInnis (7th); 200 IM - Taylor Watson (4th); Kyle Mitchell (5th); Dean Burse(8th); 50 Free - Jared Maloy (4th); 100 Fly - Michael Tomerlin (7th); Alec Maloy (8th); Dean Burse (9th); 100 Free - Daniel Rockey (5th); Nick Bowen (7th); 500 Free - Cameron McInnis (4th); Will Kibikas (5th); 200 Free Relay - Kyle Mitchell, Alec Maloy, Nick Bowen & Michael Tomerlin (8th).
             There will be a send-off for the FHS State Championship Swim Team at 3 pm on Thursday, February 25. The 4A State Championship Swimming & Diving Meet will be held at the University of Texas Jamail Swim Center at 10 am on Friday February 26 (prelims) and at 9:30 am on Saturday February 27 (finals).