HARLINGEN — Harlingen South and Brownsville Veterans Memorial head swimming coaches Hector Castaneda and Mark Schlatter took a dip in the pool after their teams claimed District 32-5A titles Friday at the Harlingen CISD Aquatic Center.
It is customary that the winning coaches be pushed in the pool. Castaneda was pushed in for the Harlingen South girls. The Hawks last won a district title in 2003.
“It felt really good,” a soaking wet Castaneda said. “It wasn’t too cold, it was nice.”
Harlingen South won the meet with 175 points, Brownsville Veterans came in second with 123 points and Brownsville Lopez finished third with 71 points. Sophomores Eliana Wainscott and Mia Hinojosa picked up the most points for Harlingen South with 16 each.
“I am really proud of them,” Castaneda said. “We worked hard all year and earned it.”
Brownsville Veterans edged Harlingen South to win the boys district title. The Chargers finished with 176.5 points, Harlingen South had 156 and Weslaco East came in third with 77 points.
Chargers junior Daniel Fierro Gonzalez and senior David Perez each picked up 18 points from their wins. Perez broke two pool records, in the 200-yard IM and the 100-yard breaststroke.
Perez has smashed multiple school and city records during the season and is ready to finish the season strong. Perez was awarded the boys athlete of the meet award.
“I am dropping times and peaking at the right time,” Perez said.
Brownsville Veterans’ Ivanna Rodriguez took the girls athlete of the meet honor. Rodriguez outstretched Harlingen South’s Mia Gonzalez for first place in the 50-yard freestyle. Rodriguez trailed Gonzalez at the turn.
“Push it, push it, you can do this,” she said. Rodriguez was chasing Gonzalez, a Class 6A state qualifier in 2022, but also her time.
“I beat my time,” Rodriguez said. “I beat my goal.”
Weslaco East’s Nathaniel Leal won the boys 50 freestyle. The junior picked up a narrow victory. Fellow Wildcats junior Janet Gonzalez took home gold in the 100 backstroke.
Harlingen South senior Frank Pimentel and sophomore Isaac Oviedo, both state qualifiers in 2022, had a good day in the pool. Pimentel won the 100 backstroke, and Oviedo took gold in the 500 freestyle.
The Region VIII-5A swimming and diving meet is slated for Feb. 3-4 at the Corpus Christi ISD Natatorium.