Jeremy Kelly, Raphael Wang Battle to Top of Texas HS Standings in 100 Breast in Aggieland

2023 Bob Stallings Aggieland Invitational

• November 10, 2023
• Texas A&M University Student Recreation Center Natatorium, College Station, Texas.
• Short Course Yards (25 yards), high school meet/USA Swimming observed
• Results File

It’s mid-season time in the state of Texas, where an August-to-February season means an opportunity for a mid-season rest meet before teams settle into their holiday training next month.

For a group of teams from Central and Southeast Texas, that meant racing at the Bob Stallings Aggieland Invitational earlier this month, hosted by A&M Consolidated High School. There, the highlight was the boys’ 100 breaststroke, where two of the state’s best swimmers squared off toe-to-toe, with both swimming best times.

Georgetown High’s Jeremy Kelly won the race in 55.18, holding off a charging Raphael Wang from Westwood High (55.25). Kelly was out seven-tenths better at the 50 yard mark, and Wang very-nearly closed that gap at the touch.

What those swimmers have in common is that neither of them swam the 100 breaststroke at last year’s Texas High School State Championship meets.

Kelly swam, and won, the 100 free (44.12) and 50 free (20.32) in February. Wang, meanwhile, swam just one individual event, the 200 IM, where he was 11th in 1:51.35 (after a 1:51.02 in prelims).

What they also have in common is that both times are faster than the fastest returning high school time in the state from last year’s championships, giving them both a claim to title-favorite status for this season.

Where they differ is that Kelly will race at the 5A championships, designated for the state’s smaller public high schools, while Wang will race at the 6A championships, reserved for the top 10% of public high schools in the state by enrollment, plus two large all-male private schools.

This means they could both be state champions in the 100 breaststroke in February.

Kelly’s prior best time was 57.02 from Sectionals in March, while Wang was 55.92 a couple of weeks earlier.

Another Westwood breaststroker, Steven Ma, was not far behind in 56.07, which followed a best time of 56.00 for him in prelims.

At the Stallings meet, Kelly also won the 50 free in 20.45 and Wang won the 200 IM in 1:49.67. Kelly is committed to the University of Texas for the fall, while Wang has not yet announced a commitment.

Other Highlight Swims:

• Bowie High’s Rowan Cox won the 200 free in 1:39.27, a best time by almost three-tenths of a second. That swim is almost four seconds better than he was at this meet last year.
• Vista Ridge’s Hannah Pecze won the girls’ 100 breaststroke in 1:02.90, which was a huge best time for her as well. Her previous fastest was a 1:04.61 the week prior, and before that was a 1:04.68 at a regional championship in February. She’s an uncommitted high school junior who should get attention from a lot of schools after that swim.
• Westwood’s Sophia He won the girls 200 free in 1:53.09 and 100 fly in 55.33. She’s another uncommitted high school junior.

Final Team Standings

Girls’ Top 5:

1. Westwood – 350.5
2. A&M Consolidated – 242
3. Bowie – 214
4. Vista Ridge – 190
5. HCYA – 182

Boys’ Top 5:

1. Westwood – 398
2. Georgetown – 291
3. A&M Consolidated – 185
4. Marcus – 176
5. HCYA – 154