After a season described by head swim coach Mike Hoskovec as long and wild, the Stratford High men’s swimming team successfully defended its Class 4A state title on Saturday.
Going into the state meet held at the Lee and Joe Jamail Texas Swim Center in Austin, Hoskovec said that Frisco Wakeland had the early upper hand with a 50-point margin if all state swimmers medaled as predicted, based on their individual seeding.
The Spartans, however, rose to the challenge. With only the freestyle relay left to swim, Stratford had a 172-171 point advantage. With relay scoring giving 40 points for first place, 34 for second place, and 32 for third place, the situation was set for the final event race: The winner of the 400 freestyle relay would be the state champion!
The team of Alec Willrodt, Cai Rohleder, Kyle Rathgeb and Michael Miller, all seniors, stepped up and broke the Class 4A record. The Spartans won event and team gold in one of the most memorable finishes in state swimming history.
In Class 5A competition, Memorial High’s Lady Mustangs returned home with a fourth place banner in team competition, which is the group’s highest ranking since 1982.
Sophomore Alexandra Buscher became a state champion in the 200 yard freestyle. The young swimmer set an All American and new school record with an event time of 1.48.45.
Memorial’s 200 individual medley team of Buscher, seniors Danielle Yoon and Kelly Denkler, and junior Briana Burns won a silver medal with an All-American and school record. Under Coach Jason Mauss, Memorial women have finished the Top 10 for the last four years.
Stratford High 4A Men’s State Swim Results
200 Medley – Rathgeb, Miller, Rohleder, Sam Cordova (11), 2nd place: 1.36.56* Taylor Cash (12) swam in prelims for this medley200 Freestyle – Sam Cordova, 13th place:1.44.54
50 Freestyle – Alec Willrodt, state champion & new school record: 20.75
100 Freestyle – Alec Willrodt, 2nd place & new school record: 45.85
200 Individual Medley – Michael Miller, 1st place, new school & Class 4A state record: 1:48.98 This swim time breaks Olympic Gold medalist Doug Gjertson’s record
100 Butterfly – Michael Miller, 1st place, 1st place and new school record: 48.93
100 Freestyle – Kyle Rathgeb, 6th place: 47.39 100 Backstroke – Kyle Rathgeb, 5th place: 53.44
200 Freestyle Relay – Willrodt, Rohleder, Cordova, Cash, 4th place: 1.26.31
400 Freestyle Relay – Willrodt, Rohleder, Rathgeb, Miller, 1st place, new school and Class 4A state record: 3.06.54 The Spartan women swam in the finals in all 3 relays. They set new school record in the 400 freestyle Relay. The team took home a 7th place finish for back to back Top 10 showings.
Many of these swimmers will return next year.
Stratford High 4A Women’s State Swim Results
400 Individual Medley – Kristen Peck, Gaby Cruz, Hannah Stuart, Erin Avary, all 10th graders, 5th place: 1.53.14200 Freestyle – Erika Stephenson, 9th grade, 11th place:1.56.37
200 Individual Medley – Kaysey Weber, 11th grade, 14th place: 2.16.10
50 Freestyle – Leana Fautra, 11th grade, 11th place: 25.14
200 Freestyle Relay – Stephenson, Avary, Courtney Jackson (10th grade), Fautra, 6th place: 1.40.34* Rachel McCleary swam in prelims
400 Freestyle Relay – Stephenson, Stuart, Peck, Fautra, 5th and new school record: 3.35.07
Memorial High 5A Women’s State Swim Meet Results
200 Individual Medley – Buscher, Yoon, Burns, Denkler, 2nd place: 1:45.76 (All American and school record)200 Freestyle – Buscher, Yoon, Burns, Denkler, 5th place: 1:37.63
200 Freestyle – Alexandra Buscher, 1st place: 1:48.45 (All American and school record) 200 Individual Medley – Danielle Yoon, 5th place, 2.05.98
500 Freestyle – Buscher, 4th place, 4.52.37 (All American)
100 Backstroke – Danielle Yoon, 6th place, 57.43 100 Breastroke – Briana Burns, 8th place, 1.06.43
