Sports

December 8, 2025 - Knights!!! Get ready to dive into the 2025-2026 swim season. And see our knight sharks compete from relays to their individual events. In our last story, Swim was preparing for their upcoming season with great excitement and high expectations, aiming to improve their times.

Season kick-off

The 2025-2026 swim season officially kicked off with a splash on October 24, 2025, at the Armijo swimming pool. The atmosphere was electric as the Knight Sharks dove in, determined to make their mark on the new season.

The team showed incredible resilience and dedication right from the start. Many returning swimmers outperformed their personal bests from the previous season, demonstrating that the extra off-season training and intense practices are already paying dividends. A major performance of our freshmen class. Their dedication to the grueling practice schedule has been remarkable. From afternoon practices and drills to laps, they've embraced the challenge, and their commitment is evident in the pool. Several freshmen have already started dropping significant time in their individual and relay events, proving they are ready for the competitive high school swimming environment.

Head Coach Balandran, alongside assistant coach Vandirgriff, has been meticulously working with each athlete. They are focusing not just on speed, but on technique and strategy for various strokes and events.

VICTORIOUS

A massive round of applause is due for our incredible Knight Sharks, who delivered a spectacular performance at the highly competitive YISD Cowan Invitational, held at The Beast on December 4-5, 2025. The results were nothing short of sensational, leading to a wave of shock and elation across the entire team: the boys’ 1st place overall, the girls’ 3rd place overall.

The anticipation was high throughout the two-day event, but the final results still left the entire team shocked. As Head Coach Balandran proudly walked toward the team, the gleaming 1st place trophy held firmly in his hand, a roar of triumph erupted from the Knight Sharks. It was a moment of pure, unadulterated joy that captured the essence of their dedication.

This victory wasn't a matter of luck; it was a culmination of relentless effort. Every second spent enduring grueling practices, every practice, and every challenging lap in the pool had been worth it. The team showcased incredible resilience and determination, pushing their limits and achieving personal bests across various events. The atmosphere at The Beast was challenging, with elite competition from across the district, but our swimmers rose to the occasion, proving they could accomplish anything they set their minds to. 

The victory at the Cowan Invitational is a significant milestone for the Knight Sharks this season. It serves as a powerful motivation as they look ahead to the challenges of the upcoming district championships and regional qualifiers. This win has set a new standard for the team, reinforcing their belief that with hard work and dedication, there is no limit to what they can achieve.

At the end of the meet, the swimmers all gathered around to throw coach Balandran into the pool, as it’s part of a small tradition the swimmers do for special events such as this one. The atmosphere was thrilling and gave the team hope that they would take the District championship. We’re excited to see what the future holds for these courageous Knights.

RESULTS: YISD Cowan invitational at The Beast

Boys 200 medley relay A - 2nd

Isabella Contreras - 4th in 200 free, 2nd in 100 free

Dominic Mendoza - 2nd in 200 free and 500 free

Santiago Logan - 4th in 200 free

Joseph Magallanes - 1st in 200 Individual Medley and 100 backstroke

Jax Aguirre - 4th in 200 Individual Medley and 100 backstroke

Andrew Crouse - 6th in 200 Individual Medley

Harley Edwards - 1st in 50 free and 5th in 100 breaststroke

Mauricio Guillén - 1st in 50 free and 100 butterfly

Hazel Dominguez - 6th in 100 butterfly

Maddison Hinojosa - 7th in 100 Butterfly

Santiago Logan - 7th in 100 butterfly, 4th in 200 freestyle

Sylas Ballejo - 1st in 100 Individual Medley and 2nd in 100 Breaststroke

Kaylan Sotelo - 5th in Individual Medley

Patrick Pozo - 6th Individual Medley

Alexandria Hinojosa - 4th in 100 freestyle

Christopher Brooks - 6th in 500 freestyle

Girls 200 free relay - 7th

Boys 200 free relay A - 2nd 

Salomon Chavira - 7th in 100 breaststroke

Girls 400 freestyle relay - 4th

Boys 400 freestyle relay A - 2nd

Boys 400 freestyle relay B - 6th