FINAL LAP – Decatur senior Jacob Rivera will compete in the 500 freestyle event at the UIL Swimming and Diving state meet Feb. 26. Photo by Ashley Kyle

Two Decatur swimmers qualified Saturday for the UIL 5A swimming championships.

Freshman Zoey Hall and senior Jacob Rivera earned state spots. Hall will head to state Feb. 19 at North East ISD’s Bill Walker Pool and Josh Davis Natatorium in San Antonio. Rivera will compete Feb. 26.

The Decatur Eagles and Lady Eagles swim teams finished eighth at the regional competition.

Decatur’s boys scored 106. The Lady Eagles netted 137 points.

“I couldn’t be more proud of all of them,” said Decatur coach Jon Capello. “They all worked hard and showed up ready to swim their hearts out. The result was us – a 4A school – being in the top eight at a 5A regional meet, and having two of our swimmers qualify for state. That wouldn’t happen without an impressive amount of will and dedication.”

After recovering from an injury to her right rotator cuff, Hall finished fourth in the 100 backstroke prelims in 1:03.99.

The young swimmer then turned in a 1:03.09 in the finals for the victory.

“Zoey’s race was epic,” Capello said. “She started out behind, and came back in the second 25 and held the lead, winning by 0.03 of a second against a senior. She was the only freshman in the event.”

Rivera, an Oklahoma Christian University signee, turned in the best time in his 500 freestyle heat with a 4:58.74. In the finals, he swam a 4:54.76 to secure second behind Cleburne’s Jaxon Coates’ 4:51.20.

Initially allowing just the top finisher to advance, the UIL changed the rule and will now allow all second-place swimmers in the regional competitions to move on to the final meet.

“Jacob has been working hard toward qualifying for state for a long time,” Capello said. “He narrowly missed state last year, but he resolved to come back this year and succeed. He has put his heart and soul into training, and it allowed him to achieve his goal.”

MAKING A SPLASH – Decatur’s Zoey Hall qualified for the state swim meet in the 100 backstroke. Photo by Ashley Kyle

Region 2 5A Swimming & Diving Championships

Saturday, Feb. 6

Mansfield ISD Natatorium

Decatur results

BOYS

• 100 Backstroke – 11. Christian Rodarte, 1:00.48
• 100 Breaststroke – 12. Major Smith, 1:07.43
• 100 Butterfly – 7. Eli Dollins, 58.50; 8. Christian Rodarte, 1:00.72
• 100 Freestyle – 12. Eli Dollins, 54.19
• 200 Freestyle – 8. Jacob Rivera, 1:56.88
• 500 Freestyle – 2. Jacob Rivera, 4:54.76
• 200 Freestyle Relay – 12. Decatur (Brody McKeel, Chasen Wallen, Dylan Williams, Carter Mallory), 1:44.67
• 200 Medley Relay – 3. Decatur (Carter Mallory, Major Smith, Eli Dollins, Christian Rodarte), 1:43.87
• 400 Freestyle Relay – 5. Decatur (Major Smith, Eli Dollins, Christian Rodarte, Jacob Rivera), 3:28.19

GIRLS

• 100 Backstroke – 1. Zoey Hall, 1:03.09
• 100 Butterfly – 5. Whitney Dollins, 1:03.82
• 200 Freestyle Relay – 4. Decatur (Ciyen Gamboa, Whitney Dollins, Hannah Smith, Zoey Hall), 1:48.59
• 200 Medley Relay – 5. Decatur (Zoey Hall, Jacie Stone, Whitney Dollins, Hannah Smith), 2:02.29
• 400 Freestyle Relay – 10. Decatur (Brinley Burkhart, Ella Holloway, Haley Carr, Jacie Stone), 4:53.18