Since the opening of the Magnolia ISD Natatorium in 2003, both the Magnolia and Magnolia West swim and dive programs have rapidly climbed the ranks of the best teams in the state. Their ascension has never been as prevalent than at the Class 4A Swim and Dive State Finals, held in Austin Feb. 18-19.

The Magnolia West women’s swim and dive squad took home second place in state, behind only state champion Frisco, while the Magnolia girls’ team finished in fourth place. On the men’s side, the Mustangs finished 13th and the Bulldogs 15th.

“This has been a historical season for the Mustang swim team,” head coach Jeremy Wade said. “The girls went undefeated in dual meets and the boys went 8-1 in dual meets only being defeated by this year’s state champions.”

Wade said the team set a goal prior to their trip to Austin to finish among the top teams in the state.

“The girls set the goal of bringing home a trophy from state,” he said. “Through their hard work and determination, they accomplished their goal.”

While no individuals or relay squads finished in first place, both placed several athletes among the top 10, including eight top three finishes.

Magnolia’s Erin Plachy finished second in the girls’ 50-meter freestyle, which is essentially a sprint to determine the fastest swimmers in the state. She finished the race with a time of 24.05 seconds, less than a second behind winner Emily Neuberz of Waco Midway (23.66). Magnolia West’s Erin Giles finished in seventh place in the event.

Plachy also finished second in the 100-meter freestyle, while Magnolia’s Mackenzie Childs placed fourth.

The story of the meet was Magnolia’s Plachy and Magnolia West’s Allie Sullins.

Sullins placed fourth in the 200-meter freestyle, second in the 100-meter backstroke and was a member of the relay team that included her sister, Carlie Sullins, Giles and Bailey Bodway that finished second in the 200-meter freestyle relay and fourth in the 400-meter freestyle relay.

Plachy was also a member of the Lady Bulldog relay team of herself, Erin Dake, Maclane Fulvio and Childs who finished third in the 200-meter freestyle relay, just behind the Lady Mustangs, and third in the 400-meter freestyle relay, just ahead of their cross-town rivals.

Noel Niccum added to the Lady Mustangs’ team total with a 10th place finish in the 200-meter individual medley and a seventh place finish in the 100-meter breaststroke.

Magnolia’s Jessica Sloan finished 11th in the 200-meter individual medley and eighth in the 500-meter freestyle race.

The boys’ teams for both schools saw several top 10 finishes that helped their teams finish among the top 15 programs in the state.

Magnolia West’s Brendan Collins took sixth in the 200-meter freestyle and fifth in the 100-meter backstroke. Magnolia’s Matt Korman took home a bronze medal in the 100-meter breast stroke, while his teammate, Mason Lundy, finished fourth in the race. Magnolia West’s Travis Clifford finished 10th in the 500-meter freestyle race.

On the relay front, the Magnolia boys finished 11th in the 200-meter freestyle relay, while the Mustangs were close behind in 13th place.

Not all of the action in Austin took place in the lap pool. In the 1-meter diving event, Magnolia’s Claire La Vergne finished seventh, while on the boys’ side Magnolia West’s Alex Happe took seventh and Magnolia’s Spencer Matthew took seventh.

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