Carl Albert captures OSSAA Class 5A boys swimming title after tight final relay at Jenks

State meet decided in closing moments

Carl Albert High School’s boys team won the Oklahoma Secondary School Activities Association (OSSAA) Class 5A state swimming and diving championship after a meet that remained unsettled until the final event at the Jenks Aquatic Center.

The Titans finished with 254.5 points, edging Casady by 9.5 points in a standings battle that went to the 400-yard freestyle relay. Carl Albert’s second-place finish in that relay provided the final points needed to secure the team championship.

How Carl Albert built the winning margin

Carl Albert’s title run was driven by depth and consistent high finishes rather than event wins. The Titans placed in the top three in all three relay races, a scoring approach that kept them within striking distance throughout the finals session and ultimately separated them from the field.

• 200-yard medley relay: second place in 1:46.50 (Reece Rushing, Dylan McDonald, Kaleb Smith, Corbin Williams)
• 200-yard freestyle relay: third place in 1:33.97 (Williams, Tyler Braun, Ridge Thornton, Andrew Campbell)
• 400-yard freestyle relay: second place in 3:28.28 (Smith, Braun, Thornton, Campbell)

Beyond relays, Carl Albert gained critical points in late individual events. In the 100-yard backstroke, the Titans placed three swimmers into the finals and produced a combined 39 points, including a third-place finish from Rushing in 58.08 seconds, with Max Emmons seventh and Williams eighth.

Key individual finals performances

Several Carl Albert swimmers reached A finals in multiple events, contributing to a balanced scoring profile. Thornton placed fifth in the 100 freestyle (51.17) and sixth in the 200 freestyle (1:56.08). Campbell placed sixth in both sprint freestyle events, taking sixth in the 50 freestyle and sixth in the 100 freestyle. Smith added points with a fifth-place finish in the 100 butterfly, while Braun was seventh in the 200 freestyle.

Context within Class 5A

The 5A championship meet also featured the girls’ team race, where Shawnee won the Class 5A girls title with 273 points. Carl Albert placed second with 240 points, and Altus finished third with 224.

The boys’ championship hinged on relay execution and late-event scoring, with the final standings determined only after the closing 400 freestyle relay.