Swimming: Wild qualifies plenty for TAAF state

With almost half of their regional competitors moving on, the Weatherford Wild swim team will be well-represented at the upcoming Texas Amateur Athletic Federation Games of Texas July 31-Aug. 3 in Bryan/College Station.

Swimmers ages 14 and under qualified for the prestigious Olympics-style summer games with a top-four finish in their respective event at the recent TAAF Region IV Meet July 12-13 in Arlington.

Swimmers ages 15 and over do not have to post a top-four finish, but Bailey Mezger of the Wild will also be competing following strong fifth and sixth-place showings in a pair of events in the Girls 15-17 age group.

In all, the Wild are expected to send 31 swimmers to TAAF State.

Leading all competitors is Cullen Costello, who qualified in six events in the Boys 13-14 division. He also won one of the Wild’s two gold medals, taking first in the 50-yard breaststroke, while Katie Edwards won the other by winning the Women 40-Over 50 butterfly.

In all, Weatherford swimmers captured 21 medals (males 15, females 6), including 11 silver (males 8, females 3) and eight bronze (males 6, females 2).

Also among male swimmers, Max Gentry qualified for three events in the Boys 13-14 division, with Kody Burlison advancing in three in that same age group. Zach Edwards and Ryan Roberts each qualified in three events in the Boys 15-17 category.

Also, Wild coach Matt Williams placed in the top four in three events in the Men 25-39 division.

Leading the female qualifiers was Blair Mezger, advancing in three events among Girls 13-14.

“This is better than last year,” Williams said. “We had more individual qualifiers as well as relays.

“Kids did a lot of good things at regionals. We had kids drop a lot of time. State will be challenging but we swim in one of the tougher regions in the state.”

TAAF Region IV encompasses the counties of Cooke, Denton, Erath, Hood, Johnson, Palo Pinto, Parker, Somervell, and Tarrant.

This will be the eighth time Bryan/College Station is hosting the TAAF Summer Games.

Texas Amateur Athletic Federation Region IV Meet

At Arlington, July 12-13

Distances in yards

Top four finishers in each event for ages 14 and under qualify for TAAF Games of Texas. Swimmers ages 15 and over don’t have to qualify, but this list includes top four finishes in that age group.

Weatherford Wild top four finishers

Boys/Men

Team score: 824.5, fifth.

6 & Under 25 Freestyle: 3. Parker Berg, 24.70; 4. Ridge Davis, 26.78.

6 & Under 25 Backstroke: 4. Davis, 33.05.

9-10 100 Medley Relay: 4. Riggins Davis, Blake Garcia, Ty Avila, Peyton Williams, 1:34.73.

9-10 25 Butterfly: 3. Davis, 21.71.

11-12 200 Freestyle Relay: 4. Harrison Gentry, Max Borme, Samuel Balaban, Beau Mezger, 2:26.80.

13-14 200 Medley Relay: 2. Bowen Judd, Kody Burlison, Cullen Costello, Max Gentry, 2:01.35.

13-14 200 Freestyle Relay: 2. Burlison, Judd, Gentry, Costello, 1:50.18.

13-14 100 Freestyle: 2. Costello, 56.08.

13-14 50 Backstroke: 2. Gentry, 30.91.

13-14 50 Breaststroke: 1 .Costello, 31.95.

13-14 50 Butterfly: 3. Costello, 28.41.

13-14 50 Freestyle: 4. Burlison, 27.12.

13-14 100 IM: 3. Costello, 1:04.38.

13-14 200 Freestyle: 3. Gentry, 2:18.32.

15-17 200 Medley Relay: 2. Ryan Roberts, Zach Edwards, Kade Burlison, Ethan Kilbourne, 2:05.35.

15-17 200 Freestyle Relay: 2. Talon Jurek, Roberts, Kilbourne, Z. Edwards, 1:52.08.

15-17 200 Freestyle: 2. Z. Edwards, 2:17.07; 4. Jaxon Edwards, 2:46.85.

25-39 100 Freestyle: 2. Matt Williams, 1:00.34.

25-39 50 Breaststroke: 3. Williams, 33.57.

25-39 100 IM: 4. Williams, 1:08.99.

Girls/Women

Team score: 544, seventh.

9-10 25 Backstroke: 3. Lorelai Fluckey, 21.24; 4. Rebekah Berg, 21.39.

9-10 100 IM: 4. Berg, 1:43.60.

11-12 100 Freestyle: 3. Karmyn Chaires, 1:13.70.

13-14 200 Medley Relay: 2. Charlotte Borme, Blair Mezger, Kiela Daniel, Madison Balaban, 2:16.82.

13-14 200 Freestyle Relay: 2. Borme, Daniel, Balaban, Mezger, 1:56.31.

13-14 50 Backstroke: 4. Mezger, 35.12.

40-44 50 Butterfly: 1. Katie Edwards, 33.67.

40 & Over 50 Freestyle: 2. Edwards, 30.57.

Walsh Wahoos top four finishers

Boys/Men

Team score: 62, 12th.

25-39 100 Freestyle: 3. Nick Michels, 1:01.94.

25-39 50 Freestyle: 4. Michels, 27.02.

Girls/Women

Team score: 226, eighth.

8 & Under 50 Freestyle: 4. Sky Austin, 46.42.

8 & Under 25 Freestyle: 3. Austin, 20.28.

9-10 50 Freestyle: 2. Maggie Goggans, 36.72.

9-10 100 IM: 2. Goggans, 1:38.87.