Paced by record-setting performances in two relays, and two silver medals from Jada Scott, Johnson finished second Monday in the team standings at the UIL Class 6A state swimming and diving championships at North East ISD’s Bill Walker Pool.
The Woodlands won the top prize with 207 points. Johnson was second with 176, its best showing at state. Johnson was within 15 points with two events remaining, but couldn’t overcome the deficit to become the fourth NEISD school to win a girls crown. MacArthur (1970), Churchill (1984, 1999, 2005) and Reagan (2000, 2001, 2002) accomplished the feat.
The Jaguars got a boost with a victory in the opening event, as the quartet of Mikayla Moore, Riya Sahota, Scott and Samantha Robles teamed to win the 200-yard medley relay in 1 minute, 42.89 seconds. The time broke the previous mark of 1:43.15 that Johnson established during Monday’s prelims.
The gold medal was Johnson’s first at state in a relay and its second overall. Raquel Grays won the 50 freestyle in 2013 before swimming at Arizona State.
Scott was second in the 200 individual medley in 2:01.59. Southlake Carroll’s Corbyn Cormack won in 1:59.50. Scott was second in the 100 freestyle, clocking a blistering 49.71 to finish behind Clear Creek’s Cory Shanks (49.59).
The foursome of Moore, Leyna Beach, Elsa Musselman and Scott won the 200 freestyle relay in 1:33.30, topping the previous 6A and overall state meet record of 1:33.53, set by The Woodlands in 2009.
Reagan senior Morgan Bartley claimed goal in a competitive 100 breaststroke. A Rice commit, Bartley finished in 1:04.06. The fifth- place finisher touched in 1:04.45.
In 1-meter diving, Southlake Carroll’s Hailey Hernandez totaled 582.40 to secure her fourth straight title in the event. A Texas signee, she joined MacArthur’s Janette Stephenson (1989-92) and Houston Memorial’s Kelly Jenkins (1984-87) as the only athletes to win four straight diving titles. Hernandez’s father, Richard, is a Central Catholic graduate.

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