Clovis hopes to make waves in district

CLOVIS — When the Clovis High boys and girls swim team travels to Carlsbad today for the District 3 championship meet, the other swimmers in the pool won't be the only thing the Wildcats are battling.

"We're kind of fighting the flu, strep throat thing," Clovis coach Vincent de Maio said, adding that nine swimmers have missed time at practice this week due to illness.

Clovis is still in a bit of a wait-and-see mode while trying to determine what impact the sicknesses will have on the results at today's meet.

"We'll see, I don't know. Bella (Zamora), James (Skuse) and Ethan (Zamora) are still sick," de Maio said. "I think Bella is going to be good, she's been on antibiotics for three days. I'm not sure about Skuse or Ethan, so we'll see. But I tell you if those two guys don't show up, we're in big trouble, but I think we'll be OK."

The flu has added another challenge to a district championship meet that already carries some extra weight.

"I think it's going to be fun but challenging because we have some competition, but I feel like because everybody was sick, there might be some pressure with that," junior Anya Hammond said.

Despite the limited practice time, the Wildcats are facing the challenge head on.

"The kids are swimming well and sickness, you deal with it," de Maio said. "Things happen and you have to be ready to deal with it. Things aren't always perfect, the water's not always warm, so this is just another aspect of it and learning to deal with that and race with it is a good opportunity to train."

The Wildcats will be looking to add state-qualifying times from Cade Nordgren in the 100 breast and 200 IM, Alexis Aburto in the 50 and 100 free and Katie Kelley in the 50 free and 100 butterfly.

"They're just right there, they're very, very close. Those are ones that we really need to get," de Maio said.

De Maio said at this meet swimmers can qualify for the state meet by finishing first or second in an event, as well as by posting the qualifying time.

As a team, Clovis has its eye on first-place finishes from the boys and the girls.

"We certainly will have a reasonable shot at winning the girls and the boys, but it's going to be very, very tough," de Maio said.

De Maio said the Wildcats biggest competition will be from Las Cruces, who prepare a bit more intensely for this meet than Clovis does by utilizing high-tech swimming suits and shaving before the meet to limit resistance.

"Every race is going to be head-to-head," de Maio said.

Hammond said team results will be extra important today compared to the upcoming state championship meet.

"State is more individual, you're more looking at your times and how you're doing, but since all the points add up at districts, it's more like you have to make sure you do good for the whole team because one race could lose it for everyone else," Hammond said.