Playing pool: Postseason is here

By Neil H. Devlin, Mullen Sports Information Director
League, state meets loom.
It’s here for Mullen girls swimmers and divers. The postseason will take place over the next couple of weekends with the two most-important meets,and they appear set.
“We’re ready,” Mustangs head coach Susan Stone said. “We’re swimming and diving our best.”
First, the Mustangs will be at Arapahoe this weekend for the Centennial League ‘A’ Championships. Preliminaries will begin on Friday and the finals will be on Saturday at 3 p.m. With the meet involving Class 5A regular powers and challengers such as Cherry Creek, the host Warriors and Smoky Hill, as well as the larger rosters of Cherokee Trail, Eaglecrest and Grandview, Mullen will find itself in a numbers-and-depth game as it has during regular-season league meets.
“They all have more swimmers,” Stone said.
However, staying sharp for the ensuing weekend is the main goal as the Mustangs will be participating in the 4A Colorado meet that will be Feb. 7-8 at the Veterans Memorial Aquatics Center in Thornton.
Fifteen of 45 Mustangs have qualified for the state meet -- Elise  Bialecki, Claire Chahbandour, Micaela Clode, Emma Linn, Riley McCamley, Taylor Nielson, Gabby Reuth, Kate Rowland, Rachel Rowland, Anarose Schwamm, Lindsey Sowitch, Kendall West, Gabrielle Zinis, Julianna Zinis and Sofia Zinis.
“Everybody is doing what we expected,” Stone said, adding that additional diving qualifiers will give the Mustangs six in the event.
A year ago, Mullen moved from 20th to sixth at the state meet. And it was ranked as high as third this season.
A finish within the top five in a couple of weekends would be their best in 14 seasons.
“I’m very pleased where we’re at and we’re excited about going to state,” Stone said.
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