Throughout his swimming career, Reagan’s Cole McAnany has always found inspiration from his older brother Clay, who pushed and encouraged him, and established a standard in everything from how to train to how to carry himself.
With Clay, now a student at Texas A&M, in attendance at Saturday’s Region VII-6A championships at the Davis Natatorium, Cole received another reminder of his brother’s influence — Clay’s regional record.
Battling through two stress fractures in his back that have gotten worse as the season has progressed, McAnany won the 100-yard backstroke and 100 freestyle to propel the Rattlers to their third straight regional title. Reagan racked up 404.5 points and won the event by 177.5 points.
“I was really excited to see him,” said Cole, the meet’s top boys swimmer, of his older sibling. “I respected that he was here for me.”
Paced by diver Morgan Cooper’s record-setting performance in 1-meter diving — he posted a score of 601.9 to set pool and meet records, defeating defending state champion Christopher Law of Marshall in the process — Johnson was second and Brandeis was third in the boys division. The order of finish was identical on the girls side, with Reagan totaling 336 points en route to its fourth title in six years and first since 2012.
The Rattlers swept the regional titles for the first time since 2004.
“The kids worked so hard all year long, and we have rivals all over town who want to compete with us, and, so, we used that as motivation to succeed at the highest level,” said Reagan coach Mike Sansavera, voted the meet’s top girls coach.
McAnany put together his second record performance in as many weeks in the 100 backstroke. He finished in 49.67 seconds, eclipsing his brother Clay’s previous mark of 50.31 set in 2012, and just missing his week-old pool standard of 49.64 established at the District 26-6A meet on Jan. 31. Teammates William Borst (200 freestyle), Alex Garriga (200 individual medley) and Zachary Yeadon (500 freestyle) each won races, and Reagan also won the 400 freestyle relay.
Reagan’s girls were just as dominating as their male counterparts. Freshman Hannah Feng won the 100 butterfly and 500 freestyle, Hannah Middleton captured the 100 freestyle, Rachel Rodriguez won the 200 freestyle and the Rattlers were also victorious in 200 medley and 400 freestyle relays.
“I know that it’s going to be tough competition, but I just want to swim my own race,” Feng said. “It’s nice to win and go to state.”
Health Careers’ Marian Yurchishin is no stranger to state. The defending state champion in the 100 breaststroke, she was in top form in that event, winning in 1:03.73 — almost three seconds ahead of the second-place finisher. The senior also won the 200 individual medley.
“I just want to make sure that I don’t completely fall off the map,” said Yurchishin, the meet’s top girls swimmer. “I want to let people know that I’m still here. I know there’s definitely a lot more pressure just because I am a senior. I kind of need to, I guess, go out with a bang.”
Article courtesy of Terrence Thomas SA Express News. tthomas@express-news.net Photo Courtesy of SA EN.
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