GIRLS SWIMMING AND DIVING: Lady Mustangs sending relay to state for first time since 2001

ANDREWS Natalie Duzan said it might have been the new swimsuits they were wearing on Saturday. Teammate Morgan Rowland disagreed, and so did Andrews head coach Mike Waldmann.

Waldmann said the four determined swimmers who happened to be wearing the black-and-gold Speedo suits — and nothing else — led to a record-setting day at the Mustang Natatorium.

Duzan and Rowland, teaming up with Tish Walling and Taryn Willis, won the girls 200-yard medley relay to kick off the Region I-4A Swimming & Diving Championships held at Andrews’ home pool. And they did it in a school-record time of 1 minute, 58.92 seconds.

“The only thing special about (the suits) is it helps them realize their absolute full potential,” Waldmann said. “It doesn’t matter what the suit is. You’ve got to have the engine on the inside to drive it.”

PHOTO GALLERY: Region I-4A Swimming & Diving Championships

The win qualified the Lady Mustangs’ quartet for the UIL Swimming & Diving State Championships scheduled for Feb. 24-25 in Austin. Waldmann said 2001 was the last time the Andrews girls team sent a relay to the state meet.

Walling, a junior, was a state qualifier in diving each of the last two years and advanced again by winning Friday’s 1-meter competition. Duzan and Rowland, who also are juniors, and the freshman Willis will be making their first appearances in Austin.

“It feels amazing,” Rowland said. “I’m so happy.”

Andrews was somewhat of a surprise winner in the event. Its seed time was fourth behind El Paso High, El Paso Jefferson and Monahans, which beat Andrews in Friday’s preliminary race.

But the Lady Mustangs brought their best — and their sleek new swimsuits — to Saturday’s final. They beat second-place El Paso High by more than one second.

“We were going to do it,” Duzan said. “We just knew.”

Katy Butler wasn’t quite so sure about her chances in the 100 breaststroke. The Monahans sophomore posted the third-fastest time in preliminaries — behind Duzan and El Paso High’s Sarah Bookout — and she and Duzan were neck-and-neck the whole race.

But Butler, who had a handful of teammates huddled near the pool cheering her on, edged Duzan by .14 seconds.

“Just the teammates supporting me,” Butler said of the difference between a win and a narrow loss. “And it was amazing. I knew I could do it because they were there.”

The girls 100 freestyle was an even closer race between a pair of talented freshmen. El Paso High’s Danielle Gonzalez nipped Greenwood’s Alyson Drennan by .01 seconds, denying Drennan a sweep of the sprint races.

Drennan said she didn’t mind such a close loss in the 100 freestyle, because she already had secured her first state berth with a narrow win in the 50 freestyle. She also said she had no regrets about her swims, which both were personal bests.

Drennan was just looking forward to competing at the state meet — and to future competitions against Gonzalez. They first met on the awards podium after the race, and there’s a good chance they’ll meet again.

“It’s going to be on the next three years,” Drennan said with a laugh. “It’s going to be a battle in that race.”

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>> Region I-4A Swimming & Diving Championships

Saturday, Mustang Natatorium, Andrews

Swimming Finals

All events in yards

(Event winners advance to UIL state meet)

GIRLS

Team Standings

1. El Paso High, 428; 2. El Paso Jefferson, 269; 3. Monahans, 266.5; 4. Pecos, 213; 5. Andrews, 201; 6. El Paso Chapin, 168.5; 7. El Paso Burges, 141; 8. Pampa, 114; 9. El Paso Del Valle, 90; 10. El Paso Riverside, 47; 11. Seminole, 45; 12. Greenwood, 37; 13. Big Spring, 36; 14. El Paso Eastlake, 28; 15. (tie) Amarillo Caprock and Fort Stockton, 27; 17. El Paso Parkland, 10; 18. Amarillo Palo Duro, 5.

Individual Events

200 medley relay

1. Andrews (Taryn Willis, Natalie Duzan, Tish Walling, Morgan Rowland), 1:58.92; 2. El Paso High, 2:00.06; 3. El Paso Jefferson, 2:02.23; 4. Monahans, 2:05.91; 5. El Paso Chapin, 2:11.35; 6. Pampa, 2:12.77; 7. El Paso Burges, 2:14.76; 8. El Paso Del Valle, 2:16.57.

200 freestyle

1. Danielle Gonzalez, El Paso High, 2:02.00; 2. Lauren Elliott, Pecos, 2:08.73; 3. Clarissa Moya, Jefferson, 2:11.06; 4. Caitlyn Maxwell, Burges, 2:17.03; 5. Lauren Green, Monahans, 2:19.48; 6. Emily Soto, El Paso High, 2:19.77; 7. Summer Soto, El Paso High, 2:20.14; 8. Kara Doege, Monahans, 2:21.50.

200 individual medley

1. Shanny Lin, El Paso High, 2:11.08; 2. Ivy Claflin, El Paso High, 2:18.42; 3. Melisa Salinas, Jefferson, 2:25.01; 4. Alexcia Mendoza, Pecos, 2:25.29; 5. Naomi Aguirre, Burges, 2:27.74; 6. Ixchel Torres, El Paso High, 2:30.85; 7. Haley Popham, Monahans, 2:44.65.

50 freestyle

1. Alyson Drennan, Greenwood, 25.39; 2. Anissa Davidson, El Paso High, 25.60; 3. Gypsy Enriquez, El Paso Riverside, 26.01; 4. Morgan Rowland, Andrews, 26.29; 5. Amber Campos, Pecos, 27.42; 6. (tie) Jayde Thomas, Monahans, and Sydney Carreon, Chapin, 27.69; 8. Sofia Maese, El Paso High, 28.11.

100 butterfly

1. Shanny Lin, El Paso High, 58.46 (pool record); 2. Alexcia Mendoza, Pecos, 1:06.26; 3. Nicole Rede, Chapin, 1:06.60; 4. Casey Gallagher, El Paso High, 1:07.48; 5. Anissa Davidson, El Paso High, 1:08.96; 6. Xaimarie Young, Jefferson, 1:12.44; 7. Adriannah Lujan, Fort Stockton, 1:14.33; 8. Zandria Rodriguez, Monahans, 1:16.55.

100 freestyle

1. Danielle Gonzalez, El Paso High, 56.25; 2. Alyson Drennan, Greenwood, 56.26; 3. Morgan Rowland, Andrews, 57.94; 4. Ilse Moya, Jefferson, 58.21; 5. Sydney Carreon, Chapin, 1:00.31; 6. Sofia Maese, El Paso High, 1:00.76; 7. Lilian Ellis, Jefferson, 1:00.85; 8. Jayde Thomas, Monahans, 1:01.64.

500 freestyle

1. Ivy Claflin, El Paso High, 5:29.66 (meet record); 2. Lauren Elliott, Pecos, 5:43.03; 3. Gypsy Enriquez, Riverside, 5:45.03; 4. Clarissa Moya, Jefferson, 5:46:05; 5. Naomi Aguirre, Burges, 5:46.33; 6. Nicole Rede, Chapin, 5:49.78; 7. Kendle Ramey, Pampa, 6:22.10; 8. Ashley Clark, Burges, 6:25.81.

200 freestyle relay

1. El Paso High (Shanny Lin, Ivy Claflin, Danielle Gonzalez, Anissa Davidson), 1:43.56 (meet and pool record); 2. Chapin, 1:48.47; 3. Andrews, 1:50.26; 4. Pecos, 1:51.07; 5. Monahans, 1:52.81; 6. Jefferson, 1:55.72; 7. Burges, 1:57.66; 8. Pampa, 2:08.91.

100 backstroke

1. Ilse Moya, Jefferson, 1:03.05; 2. Xaimarie Young, Jefferson, 1:04.56; 3. Melisa Salinas, Jefferson, 1:05.10; 4. Ixchel Torres, El Paso High, 1:07.18; 5. Alexis Glendon, Chapin, 1:08.93; 6. Casey Gallagher, El Paso High, 1:09.36; 7. Amber Campos, Pecos, 1:11.97; 8. Kendle Ramey, Pampa, 1:12.35.

100 breaststroke

1. Katy Butler, Monahans, 1:14.68; 2. Natalie Duzan, Andrews, 1:14.82; 3. Sarah Bookout, El Paso High, 1:15.52; 4. Rachel Arreola, El Paso High, 1:17.47; 5. Samantha Escajera, Jefferson, 1:19.27; 6. Morgan Graef, Pampa, 1:20.05; 7. Lilian Ellis, Jefferson, 1:21.03; 8. Kelly McDaniel, Monahans, 1:21.35.

400 freestyle relay

1. El Paso High (Ivy Claflin, Danielle Gonzalez, Anissa Davidson, Shanny Lin), 3:47.98 (meet and pool record); 2. Jefferson, 4:00.43; 3. Pecos, 4:03.28; 4. Chapin, 4:04.47; 5. Monahans, 4:15.38; 6. Burges, 4:24.14; 7. Del Valle, 4:30.02; 8. Andrews, 4:36.90.

Swimmer of the Year: Shanny Lin, El Paso High

Diver of the Year: Tish Walling, Andrews

Swimming Coach of the Year: Dow Farley, El Paso High

Diving Coach of the Year: Mike Waldmann, Andrews