CHS squads coast to sweep at Belen

Staff report

BELEN — Clovis High’s swimming teams cruised to dominating victories in Saturday’s Tiger/Jag Invitational, co-hosted by Los Lunas (Tigers) and Belen (Jaguars).

The Wildcats ran up 418 1/2 points on the boys side, well ahead of Los Lunas (275 1/2) in a 17-team field. In girls competition, the Lady Wildcats scored 584 points in a field of 18 teams, with Belen a distant second at 294.

CHS coach Vincent de Maio said Belen has a brand-new swimming facility and it was a good atmosphere for the meet.

“It was a good outing,” de Maio said. It was a good opportunity to go out there, get some swimming in and see different (relay) teams.”

The girls scored in all 11 events, winning eight, while the boys took five first-place finishes and scored in everything except the 200 individual medley. The teams combined for four new state-qualifying marks, three by the boys.

“We got some good things done, and we also realized where we have some spots to work on,” de Maio said.

The Lady Cats won all three relays, placing two teams in each, and got individual wins from Katie Reed (200 freestyle), Bella Zamora (100 freestyle), Annie Smith (500 freestyle), Anya Hammond (100 backstroke) and 100 breaststroke (Olivia Reeb).

Meantime, boys individual winners included Ethan Zamora (200 freestyle), Seiji Aponte (100 freestyle) and Brian Nordgren (100 breaststroke).

Clovis squads are back in action on Dec. 10 when they travel for a meet at Seminole, Texas.