Freestyle Relay Lands State Meet Podium Finish

After earning titles at the DAL Championships and North Coast Section Finals, boys’ varsity swimming earned a 13th place team finish at the CIF State Championships in West Clovis on May 20.

Girls’ varsity swimming finished 18th overall at the state meet after winning the DAL and finishing as runners up at NCS.

The Cougars were off to a rocky start at the state meet when the girls’ 200 yard medley relay of freshman Maddie Smith, junior Megan Colpo, and sophomores Ashleen O’Brien and Lizzy Follmer was disqualified. However, the boys’ medley of freshman Max Cruz, sophomore Richard Zhang, and juniors Max Younger and Sam Ayers finished 7th.

“It was such a nice opportunity to be competing with such amazing swimmers, and it’s a privilege that will be cherished,” said Zhang about the state meet.

Junior Sophia Cavalli finished 9th in the 200 yard freestyle. Sophomore Ashleen O’Brien took 15th in the 100 butterfly.

Both the boys and the girls claimed 13th place in their respective 200 freestyle relays.

The boys’ 400 yard freestyle relay of Cruz, Ayers, sophomore Alec Baker, and junior Michael Wheeler, earned a podium spot by finishing 6th.

“I felt honored to go to the state meet and it was a really fun experience,” said Smith. “Everyone had a lot of fun we all worked really hard, and I think we can do better next year,” she added.

“The state meet went well. We had 3 seniors that had to leave Friday night after trials and return home so they could go to senior ball. All 6 of our relays made it to finals on Saturday,” said head coach John Studebaker. “We had a great season over all. “