By CHS Swim Team
The CHS Swim Team opened the 2024-25 season at the Tori Invite in Hobbs on Saturday, November 9. The Cavegirls placed fourth out of 17 teams with 175 points, and the Cavemen took sixth out of 16 teams with 174. There to compete were teams representing southeastern New Mexico and West Texas.
It was the first meet conducted under Carlsbad High’s new head coach, Samantha Segura, and according to the new CHS pilot, she was both relieved by and proud of the efforts put out by her kids.
“With our first meet of the year now in the books, I can breathe some,” chuckled coach Segura. “Now, assistant coach Courtney Lindsey and I can really hone in on what these kids need from us moving forward.
“As for the kids, they did great for their first meet of the season! Obtaining state-qualifying swims and, most importantly, watching them all walk away in good spirits is always a win in my book,” summed Segura.
Carlsbad High had 19 swimmers attending the meet, comprised of 14 veterans and five new members. First-time swimmers attending this meet were sophomore Santiago Gallardo and eighth graders Manuel Baldemar, Paisley Johnson, Bennett Mitchell, and Brennan Reed.
Highlighting CHS’s performance at the Tori Invitational were Olivia Jang, Mason Dhenin, and the boys’ 200 Free Style Relay team, all of whom qualified for state.
Junior Olivia Jang qualified in the 200 Yard IM with a time of 2:25.18 and the 100 Yard Butterfly with a time of 1:04.50. Senior Mason Dhenin qualified in the 200 Yard Freestyle with a time of 1:55.94 and the 500 Yard Freestyle with a time of 5:23.37.
Qualifying for the Boys’ 200 Yard Freestyle Relay, with a time of 1:42.51, were seniors Moses Mendoza and Mason Dhenin, junior Sam Vega, and freshman Benjamin Jang.
“Both Olivia and Mason are incredibly determined swimmers. They know what they want and go after it. I’m proud to see them continue to push themselves to excel,” said coach Segura. “Our 200 free relay team, consisting of Moses, Sam, Benji, and Mason, also excelled. As coaches, it makes us very proud when teammates come together and win that way. The boys should all be very proud of themselves.
“I am so proud of all of our swimmers! We had four new swimmers who have never competed in a high school swim meet (Paisley Johnson, Manuel Baldemar, Brennan Reed, and Bennett Mitchell). To see them give it their all was very rewarding. First-time competitions can feel very intimidating and nerve-wracking. I was very pleased with the way they performed,” said Segura. “Seeing all of the team really keep a positive mindset and stay focused throughout their swims, even when they were discouraged by their performance, is our ultimate goal as coaches.”
Next up for the CHS swim team will be the Pecos Invitational on Saturday, November 16.
Meet highlights for the Cavegirls included: Girls’ 200 Yard Medley Relay (Ava Delafosse, Julia Comer, Olivia Jang, Taitum Lindsey), fourth place, 2:11.48; Girls’ 200 Yard IM, third place, O. Jang, 2:25.18; seventh place, A. Delafosse, 2:37.76; Girls’ 100 Yard Butterfly, second place, O. Jang, 1:04.50, seventh place, A. Delafosse, 1:10.24; Girls’ 500 Yard Freestyle, seventh place, Taitum Lindsey, 6:32.76; and Girls’ 200 Yard Freestyle Relay (A. Delafosse, T. Lindsey, Tiny Martinez, O. Jang), sixth place, 1:58.99.
Cavemen highlights included: Boys’ 200 Yard Medley Relay (Samuel Vega, Constantine Gonzales, Benjamin Jang, Mason Dhenin), fourth place, 1:53.23; Boys’ 200 Yard Freestyle, third place, M. Dhenin, 1:55.94; Boys’ 100 Yard Butterfly, sixth place, B. Jang, 1:00.91; Boys’ 100 Yard Freestyle, third place, B. Jang, 53.06; Boys’ 500 Yard Freestyle, third place, M. Dhenin, 5:23.17; Boys’ 200 Yard Freestyle Relay (B. Jang, Moses Mendoza, S. Vega, M. Dhenin), seventh place, 1:42.51; Boys’ 100 Yard Backstroke, fourth place, Vega, 1:02.47; Boys’ 100 Yard Breaststroke, eighth place, Constantine Gonzales, 1:15.67.
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