What's harder to come by than a discounted dozen eggs? Perhaps it was the 2023 Rutherford County high school swim meet team title.

  For the twelfth consecutive year, the Oakland Patriots have claimed the best swim team title in this highly competitive sports County. But make no mistake, getting the last of this dozen was anything but easy.

  In perhaps the closest Rutherford County swim meet in history, Oakland won the overall team title by just 5 points. The boy's team finished in a dead heat with Central Magnet as both garnered 68 points and tied for first-place honors. The Oakland girl's squad finished five points ahead of Central thusly providing the final margin in the team standings. 

  "The County has gotten so competitive in recent years", says first-year Oakland head coach Drew Brewer. "This is the closest County meet I can remember. To be able to walk out of this meet as Champions is an honor and a very proud moment for our program."

  Entering the finals session of the meet trailing in both boy's and girl's sections of the meet, the Patriot swimmers rose to the occasion. As many of the Oakland entrants outswam their entry times in a raucous round of aquatics, Patriot pride floated them to a 27th overall Rutherford County title.

  "I told our kids times will get you to the finals, but toughness is what get's you the win", says Brewer, who helped Smyrna to the 2004 County championship as senior captain of the Bulldogs. "We were the tougher team and I am so proud of how these kids answered the call. There are a lot of expectations here at Oakland and we are all proud to be Patriots."