With all his goals attainable going into this weekend’s Region I-5A swim meet, Amarillo High’s Alec Purdy made sure he was going out with as much style as possible.
Not only that, but he also, made sure some AHS teammates came up with him.
In his senior year, Purdy managed as close to a clean sweep as a swimmer could at the I-5A meet at Lubbock’s Pete Ragus Aquatic Center. Purdy won both his individual events, bringing home gold in both the 100-yard butterfly and backstroke to earn another trip to the Class 5A state meet in Austin in two weeks.
AHS junior James Drozell also was an individual winner, bringing home gold in the 100 freestyle. Drozell also teamed with Purdy and two other swimmers to win the 200 free relay and also were on the 200 medley relay which finished third and got called up to the state meet.
Purdy definitely made a statement he didn’t get to make last year. Although Purdy won the 100 fly at regionals last year and won a bronze medal at the state meet, his mission seemed only half-finished. He didn’t swim the back at the region meet as a junior since he was disqualified after making a premature start at the district meet.
There were no such disappointments this year. Purdy successfully defended his title in the fly in his first individual event of the day, winning in 50.47 seconds to edge Lubbock High’s Gunnar Hansen (50.94), who also qualified for state as the second place finisher.
Purdy was even more dominant in the 100 back, as he roared to gold in a time of 50.79, winning by over two seconds.
Between Purdy’s two wins, Drozell also made his way to the gold medal stand. Drozell won the 100 free in 47.52, edging El Paso High’s Connor Gutierrez in 47.75.
Purdy and Drozell were half of the winning 200 free relay team along with Amaka Nwokedi and Jude Drozell. They swam a 1:29.68 to edge Abilene Wylie (1:29.80) for the gold.
James Drozell, Purdy, Peyton Lovett and Jude Drozell were actually in the water before any of the other local swimmers in the 200 medley relay in the day’s first boys event. They finished third in 1:39.76, fast enough to get picked up for state.
Purdy isn’t the only AHS swimmer who’s a double individual state qualifier. James Drozell also got picked up in the 50 free after finishing third in 21.74.
