Bishop McGuinness mourns Zach Tawwater, 'beautiful soul' who died in Grand Lake drowning

The Bishop McGuinness community is grieving the death of senior athlete Zach Tawwater, who drowned at Grand Lake in northeast Oklahoma on Friday. He was 18.

The Grand River Dam Authority Police Department reported that he didn't resurface after jumping off the roof of a dock into the lake on Friday night while swimming with friends.

Nearly 600 members of the McGuinness community gathered at the McGuiness High School auditorium on Monday morning for a prayer service alongside Tawwater's friends and family.

"Zach was a kid with a beautiful soul who changed the dynamic of any room he was in," McGuinness basketball coach Jake Brown said.

"He was someone that everyone wanted to be around. Zach understood life was about forming lifelong relationships because he knew life was bigger than just him. He was so loved by everyone in our community because of how he treated them. He'll be missed dearly by everyone he touched."

Tawwater was a multi-sport athlete at Bishop McGuinness, excelling in football, basketball and track and field.

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A participant in discus, Tawwater was recently named as an honorable mention on The Oklahoman's 2024 Big All-City track and field boys team after taking seventh place at the Class 5A state meet with a toss of 141 feet, 11 inches.

"He excelled in athletics, but he also excelled in the classroom and nearly everything else he did," McGuinness athletic director John Hamilton said. "He left a legacy of a person who embodied being for others, which is what our mission statement at Bishop McGuinness boils down to."

Zach was the youngest of three Tawwater brothers to attend McGuinness, along with Graham and Ben, a graduate assistant for OU football.

Despite his talent in multiple sports, Zach Tawwater's love for football exceeded the rest. He was entering his senior year and played defensive end for all three years he played for the Irish.

Tawwater planned to commit to playing football at Dartmouth College after receiving an offer on June 28, Brown said.

"He was a student of the game and understood it at a very high level," Hamilton said. "Zach always made the locker room, the field, or the court a more enjoyable place for those participating and those watching. He truly cared for others, whether they were on our side or the other side of him."

A celebration of life for Tawwater will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday, July 11 at Westminster Presbyterian Church.

Jordan Davis covers high school sports for The Oklahoman. Have a story idea for Jordan? He can be reached at jdavis@oklahoman.com or on X/Twitter at @jdavis34_. Sign up for The Varsity Club newsletter to access more high school coverage. Support Jordan’s work and that of other Oklahoman journalists by purchasing a digital subscription today at subscribe.oklahoman.com