Arnold’s celebration after winning the 100-yard breaststroke to qualify for the University Interscholastic League State Meet was the Wildcats’ highlight Saturday on the final day of the Class 5A Region III meet.
Individual winners in each of the meet’s 24 events automatically qualified for the state meet - Feb. 27-28 at the University of Texas in Austin - along with the next eight-fastest times for any of the eight regional meets.
The Wildcats, who also got a pair of second-place finishes from senior Joey Jaworski, took third place. Temple’s girls were fourth, two weeks after they won their fourth district title in five years.
Belton’s boys team was fifth and the girls, led by two third-place finishes from senior Sheryl Burt, were seventh.
Arnold entered the day with the regional’s fastest qualifying time and went even lower, swimming a personal-best 59.74. He claimed the district title in the 100 breaststroke two weeks ago in 1:00.11.
“He was ecstatic,” Temple coach Trey Sullivan said. “He’s been able to (swim under one minute) for a while. He had some competition that was able to push him today.”
Arnold is the first area swimmer to qualify for state since Temple’s Stewart Glenister in 2007.
Jaworski was second in the 50 and 100 freestyle but wasn’t able to crack the call-up list for the state meet.
The Lady Wildcats had four swimmers and all three relays qualify for finals. Junior Rachael Glenister’s third-place finish in the 100 backstroke was the girls’ top result.
“The girls gave it their all,” Sullivan said. “It was a great season. I couldn’t ask for anything better.”
Belton’s boys team had three swimmers qualify for finals, led by a pair of fourth-place finishes in the 200 and 500 freestyle by sophomore Kyle Burt. He also set school records in the 100 and 200 free as a part of two relay teams. The Tigers set school records in the 200 and 400 free relays.
The Lady Tigers were led by a pair of third-place finishes by Sheryl Burt in the 200 and 500 freestyle.
“It went really well,” Belton coach Mike Burt said.
