Getting to full strength

By Neil H. Devlin, Mullen Spoirts Information Director
Boys swim and dive now complete.
It had been a slow start to the spring season for Mullen, a drag, if you will, for boys swimmers and divers, and pun intended.

But head coach Susan Stone and her Mustangs knew it would be, considering the facts of spring break, competitors out of state and lower participation numbers.

However, things are picking up for the Mustangs. Literally.   

“Now, it is,” Stone said. “Now, I have everybody back. I didn’t have all of them (to start the season). Now, we have a full team, it’s more fun, we’re better and we even have five divers.”

In a recent loss to Aurora’s Grandview in a Centennial League dual meet, the Mustangs upped their state-qualifiers list to a dozen.

Mullen top swimmer Blayze Jessen, headed to the University of Denver, has qualified in the 200-yard individual medley and 100 breaststroke. Noah Maestas made the state grade in the 200 freestyle and 100 breast. Williams Chavez will advance in the 100 free and 100 backstroke. Colorado
Academy co-op members for Mullen, Cameron Smooke (200 free and 100 back), Ben Freeman (200 free) and Charlie Baker (200 IM), have added to postseason possibilities. Plus, Mullen’s 200 and 400 free relay teams (Maestas, Baker, Jessen and Chavez), will enjoy extra swimming.

Jessen also set a pool record at Grandvew, 1 minute, 55.76 seconds, in the 200 IM.

“And these guys are enough to score (at state),” Stone said, adding that the team’s goal is to get within the top 10 of Class 4A next month at the championships.

The Mustangs now stand fifth among 4A teams, Stone said, and a big finish isn’t out of the question.

Plus, Stone said, additional team members James Duginski, Jeffrey Wang, Will Olivieri, Nathan Deitrick, Jacob Robbins, Herman Perez, Dominic Scelza, Jacob Farrell and Kenny Sun are working hard to increase the competition and perhaps squeeze a few more state-qualifying efforts before the postseason arrives.

As for this week, Stone said “we’re heading into the big part of our season.” The Mustangs will be at Smoky Hill in Aurora on Saturday for the
Buffaloes’ all-day invitational, historically a significant gathering of pool talent.

“We’re doing well,” Stone said.
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