Diving right into the District Championship, the Warriors swim team made waves on Friday, Jan. 24, at the RRISD Aquatic Center, to secure their sixth consecutive district title with the boys’ team claiming first place while the girls’ asserted themselves as district runners-up behind Vandergrift. 

The Warriors set the tone that remained through the rest of the meet in a dominant performance in both the boys’ and girls’ medley relay. The opening victory wasn’t just another win–it continued a legacy that has been built for over half a decade. 

“Honestly, us winning the first medley relay wasn’t that big of a surprise. We’ve been leading in the district pretty much this entire season,” Steven Ma ‘26 said. “We were aiming to get the record, but hopefully we’ll achieve that by regional or state [championships].”

The cold weather posed a unique challenge for the swimmers as it clearly affected their performance and preparation; But nothing seemed to dampen the team’s spirit or determination. This resilience was particularly evident in the long-distance events.

“I’ve been training for the ‘five free’ for a couple of weeks now, preparing for it,” Liam Lewis ‘27 said. “Training for the 500 has helped me realize I was capable of doing an event of that distance in the water. So, it really helped my mental game [because] going into that race I knew I could execute what I’ve been training for.”

Through the season, the Warriors’ first and second place appearances have reflected the Warriors’ consistent presence at the top of district swimming. Coach Matthew McBrearty, through the season, has expressed his satisfaction with the overall performance of both teams.

“Our boys won their sixth straight district title, and our girls were a little behind Vandergrift, but we’ve been sitting there in the top two for the past decade consistently,” Coach McBrearty said. “I was looking at [their] times this morning and it looked like almost two thirds of the swims were best of the season, so it was a really successful meet, regardless of our combined standing.”

The team’s success wasn’t just measured in medals and records–it was evident in the electric atmosphere and team spirit that pervaded the Aquatic Center. Despite the pressure of the fierce competition, freshmen swimmers found strength in the team’s supportive environment.

“It was a really fun meet and the atmosphere was really lively,” Alice Zhang ‘28 said. “Everyone was hyping each other up and what I was thinking in the water was ‘just having fun’ [so] it was better than I expected.”

Looking ahead, the Warriors have had their sights set on the regional meet in San Antonio, where the boys’ team will hope to secure their fourth regional title in five years. So, the journey continues for these dedicated athletes who have proven that success comes not just from individual talent, but from the strength they find as a team.

“It was a great district meet and set us up for good regionals,” Coach McBrearty said. “It’s a really great run and it’s not guaranteed, [but] we’re gunning for it. We’re also hoping to have a top four finish on the girls’ team and send six individuals to state.”

The Warriors will compete next in the Regional Championship Swim Meet on Friday, Feb. 7, in San Antonio in hopes of winning their fifth Regional title in school history.