Over 600 swimmers and divers converged at the Clovis Olympic Swim Complex at Clovis West over the weekend for two days of water goodness at the CIF State Swim and Dive Championships.
True, the state meet in its third year brings out the best high school swimmers from all over California, an event that, yes, is about competition and medals and standing on podiums.
But something far more riveting happened before the Clovis West girls’ 200 relay team with the top preliminary time stepped on the block in the finals – swimmers from Clovis North, Clovis and Buchanan stood behind the Eagle Four cheering and hollering with shouts of encouragement.
There they were, Clovis Unified representing their namesake, standing behind a rival school’s relay team representing the credo – “We’re all in this together.”
Then they were off at the buzzer, a cascade of swimmers diving headfirst, the simultaneous splash resonating across the pool.
When it was over, the eclectic Clovis West team of junior Caitlyn Snyder, freshman Jordan Gruce, sophomore Abby Samansky and senior Skylar Elkington swam a school record 1:33.77 – good for second place behind Santa Margarita’s 1:32.99.
Just how good was Clovis West’s race? Well, it was the fifth best time in the nation this year.
“Amazing,” said Clovis West coach Adam Reid, who doubled as the tournament director. “They were a full second faster from yesterday and they lose to a team that was one of the top teams in the country. To be there with them and it be that close was exciting.
“We had not put our top four girls together until yesterday, I knew it was coming and crunching the numbers and thinking about the scenario and I knew we would be right there.”
Especially meaningful was the effort from Elkington – the lone senior on the relay team who’s attending the University of the Pacific next season has battled back issues the entire season and has only participated in two events since last June.
“I’m just proud of all these girls fighting back,” said Reid about the adversity the four overcame which included Snyder passing out a few months ago. “She [Elkington] literally hasn’t raced except for twice since June and for her to fight through her back injury and have the confidence still to get up and race is amazing.”
Two months ago could this group of four imaged a second place finish and school record in the 200?
“I could see it happening because I knew how fast everyone can go,” said Elkington. “But then with my back I didn’t even think I would be able to go on this relay team.”
Another Clovis West relay team took second place with Gruce, Snyder, Samansky and senior Allyson Clague in the 400 with another school record time of 3:24.44. Rio Americano from Sacramento won in 3:22.97.
Samansky overall had quite a day, finishing 4th in the 200 free with a time of 1:48.76, a time that she and her coaches knew she had in her.
“I’m super excited,” said Samansky. “I definitely didn’t think I’d be going this fast this late in the season. I thought I could go 1:50 but not this great.”
For Clovis High’s Graham Hauss the meet capped off an amazing swimming career that included three state gold medals (two last year in the 200 and 400 free relay and one his sophomore year in the 200 relay) and six Central Section golds. The senior is headed to Arizona State on scholarship. Haus finished seventh in the 200 free with a time of 1:38.73.
“It wasn’t the meet I ideally wanted but it was fun,” said Hauss. “It’s awesome that there’s competition coming to this meet and it’s nice that the younger swimmers get to see what type of swimmer they are capable of doing.”
Clovis sophomore Averee Preble finished seventh in the 200 individual medley at 2:03.00 and in the team competition the Clovis West girls finished in sixth place with 96 points.