By LYNETTE HAALAND, Four Points News
The Vandegrift HS swim and dive team wins the school’s first athletic state championships during two events at the 4A State Meet last weekend: women’s 200 medley relay and women’s 100 breaststroke.
Women’s 200 medley relay with Maddie Ibrahim, Sammi Bassman, Hannah Palacios and Jade Federlin won first place, set a new team record and only missed the state record by 0.1 second.
Photo by Debbie Donohue
“I’m so proud of our state championship swimmers and the entire swim program. From district champs to regional champs to now our first athletic state championship, the swim program has set the bar for our entire athletic program,” said Drew Sanders, athletic coordinator at VHS.
Photo by Tracy Nelson
Women’s 200 medley relay with Maddie Ibrahim, Sammi Bassman, Hannah Palacios and Jade Federlin won first place, set a new team record and only missed the state record by 0.1 second.
Bassman also won first place in the 100 breaststroke and also set a new team record.
Sammi Bassman won first place in the 100 breaststroke and also set a new team record.
Photo by Tracy Nelson
“I am so proud of each swimmer. We have a long season: August – February and the hard work and dedication has paid off,” said Kim Davies, VHS head swimming coach. “I am beyond thankful to the parents, club coaches, and administrators who support the Viper Swim and Dive program.”
A total of 13 Vipers advanced to the state meet held in Austin at the Lee and Joe Jamail Texas Swimming Center at the University of Texas on Feb. 21-22.
Viper women placed sixth overall with 132 points and Viper men placed nineteenth with 34 points.
The Viper women placed sixth overall with 132 points at the 4A State Swim Meet last weekend in Austin and Viper men placed nineteenth with 34 points.
Photo by Tracy Nelson
Photo by Tracy Nelson
“It was fun to watch the kids compete and see the true team chemistry come together,” Sanders said.
Another local swimmer, Taylor Abbott, who is a sophomore at Cedar Park HS and lives in Glenlake, took silver in the 500 freestyle.
In addition to the 200 medley and 100 breaststroke, here are the event placements in order of appearance:
Men’s 200 medley relay – 13th place – Zach Wolk, Jack Hanna, Steve Gerken, John Winkler
Women’s 200 freestyle – 12th place – Kayleigh Rago
Women’s 200 IM – 12th place – Sammi Bassman
Women’s 200 free relay – 6th place – Lindsey Thompson, Hanna Brown, Sydney Sanders, Jade Federlin (new team record)
Men’s 200 free relay – 6th place – Jack Hanna, Zach Bezella, Steve Gerken, John Winkler
Women’s backstroke – 6th place – Maddie Ibrahim
Women’s backstroke – 9th place – Hanna Brown
Women’s 400 free relay – 10th place – Maddie Ibrahim, Sammi Bassman, Sydney Sanders, Kayleigh Rago (new team record)
Also setting new team records in lead off legs of relays were women’s 50 free, Lindsey Thompson, and women’s 100 free, Maddie Ibrahim.
Three VHS seniors swam their last high school meet races at state: Bassman, Gerken and Rago.