Mullen boys set to make a move

It’s a fact that there is strength in numbers, but Mullen boys swimmers and divers hope to modify that a bit on Friday and Saturday, when they head south to the Air Force Academy for the Class 4A championships.

All of seven Mustangs will be on hand, although when considering the quality-vs.-quantity thing, they’re bringing a confidence with them.

“I feel great about it,” head coach Susan Stone said. “We’re ranked No. 4 … I’m still not sure where we can finish, but anything in the top 10 would be fantastic.”

Mullen competitors would like more.

“The top five,” sophomore William Chavez said. “I’m hoping for top-5 as a team and top-5 or better in the events.”

Said Mustangs senior Blayze Jessen: “Yeah, for sure, I think it’s really exciting being my senior year and fourth round at state … I think our quality over quantity just makes us different and, honestly, puts us up there with some teams looking down on us, but I think we will surprise some teams.”

Jessen, the Mustangs’ only senior this weekend, is coming off a crack performance at the Centennial League meet. In the 100-yard breaststroke, he set a meet record of 58.25 seconds.

He’s expected to be Mullen’s leader again. The 18-year-old who has signed to swim next school year at the University of Denver will compete in the 100 breast and 200 individual medley as well as the 200 and 400 free relay teams.

In previous state meets, he has registered second and fourth places, but said “I’m hoping to do better. I’d like to leave a mark.”

Chavez, a sophomore who missed the past season because of a torn rotator cuff -- “I was doing 10 and 11 practices a week,” he said of over-working himself – admitted that he “feels cheated” concerning last season and is intent on doing something about it.

He’ll be a state competitor in the 50 and 100 frees, and join Jessen in the 200 and 400 free relays.

According to Stone, Jessen is seeded first in the 200 IM and second in the 100 breaststroke. For Chavez, he’s third in the 50 free. Concerning relays, Mullen is No. 1 in the 400 free relay, 12th in the medley relay and third in the 200 free relay.

“We’re going to win at least one of the relays,” Chavez said.

Freshman Noah Maestas, sophomores Charlie Baker and Cameron Smoke, and juniors Ben Freeman and Will Olivieri round out Mullen’s state team.

Swimming preliminaries will be on Friday, 4 p.m. On Saturday, diving preliminaries will be at 9:30 a.m. All finals will be at 3 p.m.

Said Stone: “We’re excited.”