Opportunity knocks for Lady Eagle swim team

Coming off their seventh straight 32-5A District title the Hanna girls swim team is looking to ride that wave of momentum to a regional championship today at the Margaret Clark Aquatic center.

“They’ve got a lot of energy, they are excited,” coach Monica Rosales said. “I think what was really good for our team was winning the girls title and boys title last Saturday and that just provided a spring board for this meet, so they’re just still riding on that high.”

The entire season, the Lady Golden Eagles have eyed another 32-5A championship and now that they have it Rosales said the team has shifted gears towards Regionals.

“They are focused on this meet,” she said. “All year long we’ve been thinking about district, but now its regionals. I think they’re finally coming to realize this is the moment and time to perform.”

Captain Gaby Zamora who placed first in the 100 meter backstroke that helped claim Hanna’s 12th district title in school history said the team morale was up throughout practice in preparation for the Regional meet.

“We’re all excited,” she said. “We’re going to try hard and have fun. We’re motivated and working harder. I think we have a really strong team. We have a good chance of going to state in our relays.”

For the first time in a while there is optimism around the pool about who can advance in this year regional meet.

Corpus Christi Carroll has dominated the regional event over the years but this meet looks to be different.

“There’s not a for sure winner (this year) it could go to anyone,” Rosales said. “It’ll be one of the more exciting regional meets, in year’s past Corpus Christi Carroll everyone knew they were going to take it but this year its up for grabs.”

With so much parity within all the competing teams Rosales added that it could come down to the final event of the day to see who is victorious this year.

“If we’re in the points I think it might come down to the last event to decide who’s going to win,” she said. “I think that 400 free style relay is really going to be a very exciting event. We’re seeded below (the other teams) so these girls are really going to have to swim out of themselves and really pull it off and I think they will, they’re that feisty.”