Hanna squads eager to defend 32-5A swimming titles

Hanna is accustomed to winning district team titles in swimming. Its athletes are poised to capture a couple more at this weekend’s District 32-5A meet.

The Hanna boys and girls squads are defending champions of the 32-5A meet that begins with diving at 11 a.m. today and continues with swimming events at 10:30 a.m. Saturday at the Margaret M. Clark Aquatic Center.

Every season over the past 15 years, and possibly longer, Hanna has won either a boys or girls district title, and sometimes both.

"It means a lot to be part of this team," said Hanna sophomore Ayme Saldaña, who swims the 50 and 100 freestyle events plus relays. "Winning district and returning to state means a lot to me. We’re all really working hard for the 32-5A title, and I think we can do it again. Actually, I know we can do it again."

With an emphasis on quality of performances and versatility in their events, and not so much on numbers of athletes, Hanna has a reduced roster this year with 25 swimmers and divers (15 girls and 10 boys) compared to 75 last year.

The Lady Golden Eagles boast five swimmers who advanced to the UIL state meet in Austin in 2009, including Ayme Saldaña. The others are Elva Saldaña (100 backstroke, 200 freestyle), Nikki Villarreal (200 individual medley, 100 butterfly), Karina Galvan (200 IM, 500 freestyle) and Natalie Castillo (100 butterfly, 500 freestyle). Those girls also swim on relays.

The path to state begins at district, and the Hanna girls will attempt to make it back to Austin in their respective events as will Pace junior Victoria Salinas, who went to state in the 50 freestyle and the 100 butterfly last year. The top six finishers at district advance to the regional meet, where only the top finisher in each swimming event goes to state. At regionals, the top two divers advance to Austin.

"Hanna has a good reputation in swimming because we always win," Castillo said. "I’m hoping we can win this year, too. We’d like to invite people to come cheer us on so we can do it again."

Added Brianna Morales, a freshman who is also expected to do well in her events, "Knowing that Hanna has done so well in the past really motivates me to become better in my events. I’m trying to record the best times that I can. I’m shooting for first place (at district) and also to improve my times. I’m happy to be part of the team. Everyone is very supportive."

Other athletes projected to do well for Hanna at district include junior swimmer Beto Lopez and freshman diver Kelley Jimenez.

"It’s a great honor to be one of the 25 members of the team," said Lopez, who swims the 100 breaststroke and 100 freestyle plus relays. "It means that the coach trusts you and believes in what you can do. The coaches are always helping you improve. We’re training harder and harder to become better. It’s been a great experience so far. Hopefully we’ll take first place for the boys and the girls (at district). We just have to go out and try to do our best."

Hanna coach Caroline Rush, who is assisted by Sam Perez, said the coaches have entered each of the swimmers in a variety of events throughout the course of the season to prepare them for whatever events it might be necessary to swim to score points at district.

"My expectations haven’t changed from last year," Rush said. "I want everybody to go out and not take anything for granted. If our swimmers don’t swim well enough to make the top six in their events on Saturday, they don’t get a second chance to get to regionals. Since we have a smaller team this year, we have to get as many kids as possible qualified for regionals. District is very important for us to get our swimmers who are on the bubble to find a way to swim faster and get at least a sixth-place finish for our school.

"I think our swimmers are fully aware that we have a big tradition (of doing well at district) and that they are fortunate to be a part of this team," she added. "It’s not an obligation, it’s a privilege. They understand that.

"We look at the Brownsville record board (at Clark Aquatic Center) every day. A lot of the names of the swimmers on the record board are from Hanna and many of the records for the girls were set in 2008 and 2009. The more our swimmers look up there, they see (what was achieved) the previous years. Not only are they part of a great team, but they also want to make themselves part of Hanna history personally (by setting records, too)."

Roy Hess writes for Valley Freedom Newspapers. You can reach him via e-mail at rhess@brownsvilleherald.com.