Cardinals swim

HARLINGEN — This time last year, Andrew Johnson was getting ready to go to the Class 5A state meet in Austin.

He’s doing the same thing again.

The Harlingen senior earned a return trip to the Jamail Swim Center by winning the 500-yard freestyle at the Region VIII meet held recently in Brownsville.

“I’ll be a little bit more prepared this time and a little less stressed out,” he said.

This time, he’ll have a fellow Cardinal to go along with him.

Sophomore Diana Brandon finished second in the 1-meter diving and earned a trip to Austin as well.

“It’s pretty exciting,” she said. “I’m not nervous at the moment, but once I get there I will be.”

Johnson laughed and gave some words of wisdom.

“I’ll give her the scoop when we get there,” he said. “It is definitely a whole different atmosphere. There’s more tension and an almost professional atmosphere. After all, you are swimming with future Olympians.”

Both Brandon’s and Johnson’s events take a lot of mental preparation.

“Distance swimming is about strength and endurance,” said Harlingen coach Dan Brandon, and yes, he is Diana’s father. “Andrew has just done everything he has needed to do. It takes planning to swim the distances he does.”

Diana Brandon said she started diving as something to do.

Her father said that she hits her dives with precision and that while she might not do as difficult dives as some others, she hits her dives better, making up for the degree of difficulty.

“You have to focus,” said Johnson, who comes from a swimming family as well. “I’m hoping to drop my time.”

They both understand the benefits of going to the state meet.

“There is a lot of opportunity,” he said. “State opens up a lot of interest for you.”

“Few people get to go to state,” said Diana Brandon.

While everybody knows about the prowess of Texas high school athletes in football and basketball. Texas ranks close to California in producing swim talent.