Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
Clovis High junior Brynn Longley pushes off the blocks for the first leg of the girls 200 medley relay during Saturday's state swimming competition at Rio Rancho. The Lady Wildcats finished fifth in final team standings.
ALBUQUERQUE – The senior-laden Clovis High boys swim team did well in Friday and Saturday's state meet hosted by Albuquerque Academy, finishing sixth in team standings.
Meantime, the younger Lady Wildcats earned fifth place, and have high hopes for doing even better next season.
Both squads had seven entries score in the top eight. Seniors Porter Kidd and David Reeb each placed in two individual events and on two relays for the boys, while senior Kriday Andiboina scored in three events, including two relays.
The Wildcats tallied 129 points on the boys' side. Volcano Vista took the team championship with 253 ½ points, followed by Rio Ranch Cleveland at 206 ½.
For the Lady Wildcats, junior Julia Spears and sophomore Claire Palla also medaled in four events over the weekend.
"Coming back with four medals is a pretty good day," CHS co-coach Vincent de Maio said.
Host Academy dominated the girls' competition with 335 points to 229 for Eldorado. The Lady Cats came in at 130.
De Maio, whose athletes competed in several Texas meets during the season, said the state get-together was the toughest one overall.
"The top end of this meet is really good," he said. "I was really proud of the kids. They did a great job.
"All three girls relays got in the top eight, and two of the boys relays, and that was awesome."
Kidd had Clovis' top individual finish of the weekend, placing fifth in the 200 freestyle in 1 minute, 44.95 seconds, and he took sixth in the 500 freestyle (4:46.08). Reeb was seventh in both the 100 butterfly (54.42 seconds) and the 100 backstroke (57.05).
They also helped the 200 medley relay (1:42.18) and 400 freestyle relay (3:22.80) place fifth, swimming with Andiboina and senior Connor Dearinger in both events. Andiboina added an eighth-place finish in the 100 breaststroke (1:03.40).
The Lady Cats were sixth in the 200 medley relay (1:54.67) with junior Brynn Longley, sophomore Lilyan Russell, Spears and Palla; sixth in the 200 freestyle relay (1:44.36) with Palla, freshman Reagan Cornish, sophomore Niamh McWilliams and Molly Kidd, and eighth in the 400 freestyle relay (3:12.20) with Palla, Cornish, Spears and Kidd.
Spears earned a sixth-place finish in the 500 freestyle (5:26.27) and came in eighth in the 200 individual medley (2:19.07), while Palla was seventh in the 50 freestyle (25.31) and Russell eighth in the 100 breaststroke (1:12.30).
