Not even the rain could slow down the fast pace at the 2018 Clovis West Invitational where a couple of impressive girls shined in the pool, a potential forecast of not only the Valley meet but the 2018 CIF State Swim and Dive Championships returning to Clovis Olympic Swim Complex May 18-19.
Clovis West junior Abby Samansky won the 200 free in an All-American consideration time of 1:50.19, and doubled in the 100 free with an All-American time of 50.35, setting herself up for a run at the state podium.
“I was really happy with the way she is swimming right now,” Clovis West swim coach Adam Reid said about Samansky. “She is setting herself up for a big meet at the state championships.”
Samansky placed 10th last year at the state meet in the 100 free with a time of 51.37. Her time of 50.35 at the Clovis West Invite would have placed her 6th last year.
“I am happy with how I swam this weekend,” Samansky said. “My swims were very solid swims for this point in the weekend and everything I swam was faster than what I went at this point last year.”
Another junior, Clovis High’s Averee Preble was also a double winner on the girls side. She was All-American consideration and broke the CW invite record in the 100 Butterfly (55.23). The previous record was held by Clovis East’s Loreen Whitfield. Preble doubled in the 200 IM (2:04.32) and was just off an All-American time.
Samansky and Preble both swim on the same club team, so sharing a great meet together is a big bonus.
“Averee and I really wanted to earn high point together so it was really awesome to be able to share this moment together,” Samansky said.
According to Clovis Hall of Fame member and former Clovis West swim and water polo coach Steve Baxter, this was the first time in the history of the meet that it rained. Meet officials also had to work through an electrical water issue on the time equipment.
The meet involved 38 teams and 1,351 athletes.
Freshman Austin Lane from Clovis West came back from a disqualification in the 200 IM from a flinch at the start to win the 100 backstroke by 80 milliseconds with a time of 51.11.
On the team side the Clovis West girls ran away with the title with 626.5 points scored, well ahead of Clovis North’s 293.5. The Clovis North boys placed second to Bellarmine Prep from San Jose, 636 to 606.5.
Other local winners include: Clovis High Girls 200 Medley relay (Mammen, Vidmar, Preble, Anderson); Caitlyn Snyder (CW) 50 Free; Michael Jia (CN) 100 Butterfly; Hannah Lambert (CW) 500 free; Theo Tuggle (CN) 500 Free; 200 girls free relay Clovis West (Snyder, Gruce, Voice, Samansky), new meet record (three of these girls return from last year’s 5th in the country relay time); 200 boys free relay Clovis North (Forbes, Bowden, Fleming, Jia) new meet record; Shelby Vidmar (CHS) 100 Breaststroke; 400 girls free relay Clovis West (Snyder, Gruce, Voice, Samansky).