Friday and Saturday the swimming and diving team will travel to Lubbock to compete in the UIL regional meet in an attempt to get as many people to the state meet as possible. 40 swimmers and divers qualified for regionals, which is the highest number in the team’s history.

“Taking 35 swimmers and 5 divers to the regional swim meet is an amazing accomplishment for this team,” swim coach Matt Bold said. “It is a direct result of how hard they work every day and their dedication to our team goals. We sat down in August to create team goals, and one of the goals was to win the District meet. Another goal was to take the biggest team in Mansfield history to regionals. Now that we have accomplished both of those goals, our next goal is to be Regional Champions this weekend.”

At the district meet, sophomore Maddie Mechling and senior Andrew Limpert each received ‘Swimmer of the Meet,’ and are expected to advance to the state meet at regionals.  They said they hope that their leadership will help more of their teammates to advance as well.

“I have great teammates who are supporting me, and I think that I’m setting a really great example for future freshmen and sophomores who are looking to go to state in the future and it will be really exciting to see them grow along with me,” Mechling said. “This year we’re taking more swimmers than we ever have in the past, and I’m really excited to see our team grow and hopefully get more people on the podium and more people to state.”

Four of the six Mansfield relay teams advanced to Lubbock, and they said they are ready to dominate together. Relays are when the team really comes together, and the crowd and other swimmers on the pool deck get visibly more excited when they are in the water.

“My relay team means everything to me; it’s my favorite part of the meet,” sophomore Bryanna Matkovich said. “I grew up on a small team where I was taught that it was about the team and not the individuals, so any way I can help contribute to the entire team means a lot. I love the bonding that relay teams have.”

Sophomore diver and school record holder Reagan Bellah said she hopes to continue her streak of beating her personal best.

“The bonding experience that I have with my team at this meet is really great,” Bellah said. “Having the opportunity to compete and continue to do my best and improve is what I love. I hope I can continue to make MHS proud.”

District Meet Results

200 Medley Relay Girls- First place (Maddie Mechling, Marli Wallace, Bryanna Matkovich, Payton Arber)

200 Medley Relay Boys- First place (Andrew Limpert, Arnoldo Cisneros-Siller, Jacob Reese, Daniel Drennan)

200 Freestyle Girls- First: Maddie Mechling, Second: Bryanna Matkovich, Fourth: Olivia Weatherford, Fifth: Kaylee Shuck

200 Freestyle Boys- Second: Arnoldo Cisneros-Siller, Third: Rett Stewart, Fourth: Landon Arbor, Fifth: Daniel Drennan

200 Individual Medley Girls- First: Payton Arber, Second: Kyndal Waldo, Fourth: Marli Wallace

200 Individual Medley Boys- Second: Jacob DeLagerheim, Third: Zhen Blackburn, Fourth: Jacob Reese, Fifth: Nick Werner

50 Freestyle Girls- Second: Callie Limpert, Fifth: Emma Tung

50 Freestyle Boys- First: Andrew Limpert, Second: Jase Pinckney, Third: Ryan Andrews

Girls Diving- First: Reagan Bellah, Second: Trinity Leonard, Third: Brooke Uleman

Boys Diving- First: Andrew Davies, Second: Chase Adler

100 Butterfly Girls- Fourth: Hannah Crosby, Fifth: Sara Brandenburg, Sixth: Kaylee Shuck

100 Butterfly Boys- First: Andrew Limpert, Second: Jase Pinckney, Fourth: Carter Munn, Fifth: Aidan Lamkin

100 Freestyle Girls- First: Callie Limpert, Third: Payton Arber, Fourth: Lindsey Decker, Fifth: Vanessa Yates

100 Freestyle Boys- Second: Daniel Drennan, Third: Ryan Andrews, Sixth: Brian Erhart

500 Freestyle Girls- First: Bryanna Matkovich, Third: Kyndal Waldo, Fourth: Olivia Weatherford, Fifth: Vanessa Yates

500 Freestyle Boys- Second: Rett Stewart, Fourth: Landon Arber, Fifth: Jacob Lewis, Sixth: Aidan Lamkin

200 Freestyle Relay Girls- Second place (Callie Limpert, Payton Arber, Emma Tung, Lindsey Decker)

200 Freestyle Relay Boys- DQ’d from a false start (Jase Pinckney, Ryan Andrews, Zach Aldrete, Arnoldo Cisneros-Siller)

100 Backstroke Girls- First: Maddie Mechling, Sixth: Emma Tung

100 Backstroke Boys- First: Jacob DeLagerheim, Second: Bryson Reagan, Fourth: Matthew Lara, Fifth: Zachary Crook

100 Breaststroke Girls- First: Marli Wallace, Third: Brynnley Monroe, Fourth: Sara Brandenburg, Fifth: Tinyin Chang

100 Breaststroke Boys- Second: Arnoldo Cisneros-Siller, Third: Chase Lodatto, Fourth: Josh Brown, Sixth: Zhen Blackburn

400 Freestyle Relay Girls- First place (Maddie Mechling, Callie Limpert, Bryanna Matkovich, Kyndal Waldo)

400 Freestyle Relay Boys- First place (Andrew Limpert, Daniel Drennan, Jase Pinckney, Ryan Andrews)

Photo Credit: Nichole Breesee