Clovis squads look to move up at state
Clovis High’s swim teams hope to move up in the standings from a year ago when they compete in the state meet today and Saturday at Albuquerque Academy High School.
Preliminary races are scheduled to begin at 3 p.m. today, with finals on Saturday starting at 11:30 a.m.
The girls were 16th and the boys 20th in last year’s competition. Coach Vincent de Maio is hoping the Lady Wildcats can break into the top 10 this time.
“I’d like to see our girls make the top 10,” de Maio said Thursday. “I want the boys to move up, (but) we don’t have the depth with the boys that we have with the girls.”
Eight girls and six boys will compete for CHS. The girls will rely on junior Jill Southard to score well in four events, including a couple of relays, while for the boys, freshman Lucas Brock is the best hope of big points with high seeds in the 500 freestyle and 100 butterfly.
“Both of them swam two events at state last year, so they have some experience,” de Maio said.
Others representing the boys are senior Ryan Waters, juniors Nick de Maio and Kenan Bussen and freshmen Brock Smith and Jon McCormick. Joining Southard on the girls squad are seniors Chelsea Carter and Martha Chace, freshmen Augustina Snipes and Heather Steinle and eighth-graders Caitlin Myers, Caitlin Dial and Madison Silveira.
Coach de Maio said he is looking for school records, or at least personal bests, to give his squads the best chance of high team finishes this weekend.
He said the Wildcats and Lady Cats have qualified in all events they competed in during the season except the 50 freestyle and 100 breaststroke for both.
The top eight in each event today will advance to championship finals on Saturday, while the next eight will qualify for consolation finals.
CHS STATE SWIMMING QUALIFIERS
Friday, Saturday
At Albuquerque Academy
(Top 16 seeds in parentheses)
Girls events
200 medley relay: Madison Silveira, Caitlin Myers, Jill Southard, Caitlin Dial (8). 200 freestyle: Dial (13). 200 individual medley: Myers (12), Silveira. 100 butterfly: Southard (8). 100 freestyle: Myers (12). 500 freestyle: Southard (4), Augustina Snipes, Dial. 200 feestyle relay: Chelsea Carter, Heather Steinle, Silveira, Martha Chase (14). 100 backstroke: Silveira (13), Chace. 400 freestyle relay: Southard, Dial, Carter, Myers (7).
Boys events
200 medley relay: Nick de Maio, Ryan Waters, Lucas Brock, Brock Smith (8). 200 freestyle: Kenan Bussen (5), de Maio. 200 individual medley: Smith. 100 butterfly: Brock (7). 500 freestyle: Brock (3). 200 freestyle relay: Smith, Bussen, Waters, Jon McCormick.
