Texas 6A High School Championships – Boys Preview

UIL Swimming and Diving State Championships – DISTRICT MEETS

• Jan. 21 – Jan. 22
• SCY Yards (SCY)
• Results

The UIL Texas 5A/6A swimming and diving state championship meet will be held Feb. 18 – Feb. 19 in Austin, TX at the University of Texas. The state recently held their district meets to determine which athletes would move on to regionals. The regional meets will be held Feb. 4 – Feb. 5. 

UIL Qualifying System 

• District Meets: Held in districts with more than six individuals or relays in any event. 
• Regional Meets: The top six individuals and relays qualify for the regional meet. There are eight regional meets. 
• State Meet: The top two from each regional along with the next eight fastest swimmers overall advance to the state meet. 
• This system is divided into 5A/6A classes, with 5A being smaller schools and 6A larger schools. 

2021 6A State Championships Top 5 Teams

1. The Woodlands – 229
2. Kingwood – 227
3. Cy-Woods – 173
4. Southlake Carroll – 156
5. Keller – 128

Kingwood were the state runners-up last year, and swam some of the top times from the district meets. Defending state champions The Woodlands also have several fast swims from their district meet and are placed well to repeat. Only two points separated the teams for the state title last year, and judging from the results from the district meets they are set up for another tight battle. Here are some of the boys to watch during the state tournament, including their times from their district meet. 

2022 6A Boys Swimmers to Watch

200 free

• Cooper Lucas – Sophomore – Keller – 1:39.17
• William Tennison – Senior- Oak Ridge: 1:40.52
• Eddie Jin– Sophomore – Kingwood: 1:41.03

Defending state champion Cooper Lucas was a 1:39.17 at his district meet. He won the state meet as a freshman in a time of 1:37.50 last year. Arizona-commit William Tennison from Oak Ridge had one of the fastest 200 free in the district meets with a 1:40.52 and would have scored in the top eight last year at the state meet. 

200 IM 

• Brendan Studdert – Junior – Kingwood: 1:48.55 
• Jacob Wimberly – Sophomore – Prosper: 1:49.85
• Roberto Bonilla – Sophomore – the Woodlands: 1:56.79 

Texas A&M-commit Brendan Studdert from Kingwood swam a 1:48.55 at his district meet. Studdert was sixth in the state meet last year with a time of 1:51.26, behind four seniors and another sophomore, Roberto Bonilla, from the Woodlands. Bonilla was 1:56.79 at his district meet. Bonilla was fourth at state last year with a time of 1:49.94. 

50 Free

• Connor Little – Senior – Kingwood: 20.67
• Lane White – Senior – Prosper: 20.80
• Sonny Wang – Sophomore – Westwood: 20.06

Defending state champion Sonny Wang swam a 20.06 at his district meet, which is considerably faster than his state winning time of 20.56 from last year. Alabama-commit Connor Little had one of the fastest 50 frees, swimming a 20.67. Little was fourth in the 100 free last year, and won the 200 free at the 2020 state championships. 

100 Fly

• Jacob Wimberly – Sophomore – Prosper: 49.37
• Garret Green – Senior – Kingwood: 49.49
• Josemaria Romero – Sophomore – Plano West: 49.88

Defending state champion Garret Green, a senior from Kingwood, won the state title last year in a 47.80. Green is committed to attend Texas A&M. Jacob Wimberly had the fastest time with a 49.37. 

100 Free

• Connor Little – Senior – Kingwood: 45.58
• Aidan Flanagan – Junior – the Woodlands: 45.92
• Sonny Wang – Sophomore – Westwood: 44.37

Defending state champion Sonny Wang swam a 44.37 at his district meet, just off his state winning time from last year, when he swam a 44.21. Kingwood and the Woodlands had a pair of fast swims as well from Connor Little and junior Aidan Flanagan, although Wang looks well set to defend his individual title in the event. 

500 Free

• Cooper Lucas – Sophomore – Keller: 4:27.91
• Tyler Surratt – Senior – Kingwood: 4:28.83
• Luke Stibrich – Sophomore – Summer Creek: 4:28.99

Cooper Lucas, who was state runner-up in the 500 last year, had the fastest time in the district meets in the 500. He managed to improve on his state time, when he swam a 4:28.37. Kingwood had another top regional qualifier, with Tyler Surratt swimming a 4:28.83, improving on his 8th place time of 4:33.31 from last year’s state meet.  

100 Back

• Garret Green – Senior – Kingwood: 49.38
• Brendan Studdert – Junior – Kingwood: 49.99
• Ryan Rautenbach – Sophomore – the Woodlands: 50.85

Kingwood teammates Garret Green and Brendan Studdert had two of the top times from the district meets. Green was third in the event last year at state, when he swam a 49.19. The Woodlands sophomore Ryan Rautenbach swam a 50.85, which would have qualified just outside of the top eight last year at state.  

100 breast

• Roberto Bonilla – Sophomore – the Woodlands: 57.74
• Tyler Tannenberger – Sophomore – the Woodlands: 57.13
• Kevin Cai – Senior – Reagan: 57.18

The Woodlands’ Tyler Tannenberger had a fast district time in the 100 breast, swimming a time of 57.13. The top returning finalist from last year’s state meet is Roberto Bonilla, also from the Woodlands, who swam a 57.74. Bonilla swam a 55.86 at the state meet last year and finished second. Kevin Cai, who finished fifth at state a year ago with a time of 57.01, was just shy of that mark at his district meet where he swam a 57.18.