Mustangs swim and dive through drought

By Neil H. Devlin, Mullen Sports Information Director
By winning 9 of the meet's 12 events, Mullen downs Smoky Hill 94-88 for the 1st time in nearly a quarter-century; and 'Stangs do it in the pool they're sharing with the Buffs.
 
AURORA – Consider the history and irony …

On Thursday, Mullen downed Smoky Hill 94-88 in a Centennial League dual meet for the first time since 1998, according to Buffaloes coach Scott Cohen, who’s also a former Mustangs coach.

And Mullen did it at Smoky Hill’s pool, which Cohen graciously shares with the Mustangs, who don’t have their own pool and had been struggling to find one to use for this shortened Season B.

The Mustangs won nine of the 12 events, including three relays.

Chase Davison (200- and 500-yard freestyles), Charlotte Burnham (200 individual medley and 100 breaststroke), Claire Chahbandour (50 freestyle) and Gabrielle Zinis (100 freestyle) finished with firsts.

Mullen relays did likewise in the 200 medley relay (Elizabeth Davison, Chahbandour, Lindsey Sowitch, Zinis); 200 free relay (Zinis, Chahbandour, Sowitch, Chase Davison); and 400 free relay (Burnham, Sowitch, Sahara Zurita, Chase Davison).

Also consider that the Mustangs have had fewer practices in addition to attempting to find a pool for use, as they also missed their first meet of the season (against Cherry Creek) with quarantine from the coronavirus (COVID-19).

Next for Mullen will be a league meet at Eaglecrest in Centennial, on Thursday, Feb. 11, 4:30 p.m.
 
MULLEN 94, SMOKY HILL 88
 
(Below are Mullen’s top finishers)
 
200-yard medley relay – 1. Mullen (Elizabeth Davison, Claire Chahbandour, Lindsey Sowitch, Gabrielle Zinis), 1:53.99; 3. Mullen (Stella Zinis, Emiliana Capra, Jill Kulbacki, Sarah Vasten), 2:09.29.
 
200 freestyle – 1. Chase Davison, 1:56.77; 3. Grace Champagne, 2:13.46.
 
200 Individual medley – 1. Charlotte Burnham, 2:10.75.
 
50 freestyle – 1. Claire Chahbandour, 25.06; 2. Gabrielle Zinis, 25.47.
 
Diving – 3. Romie Gutierrez, 110.10 points.
 
100 butterfly – 3. Sahara Zurita, 1:04.13.
 
100 freestyle – 1. Gabrielle Zinis, 57.54.
 
500 freestyle – 1. Chase Davison, 5:30.19.
 
200 free relay – 1. Mullen (Gabrielle Zinis, Claire Chahbandour, Lindsey Sowitch, Chase Davison), 1:42.23; 3. Mullen (Elizabeth Davison, Sahara Zurita, Grace Champagne, Charlotte Burnham), 1:51.80.
 
100 backstroke -- 3. Jill Kulbacki, 1:12.22.
 
100 breaststroke – 1. Charlotte Burham, 1:06.25; 2. Claire Chahbandour, 1:07.70.
 
400 free relay – 1. Mullen (Charlotte Burnham, Lindsey Sowitch, Sahara Zurita, Chase Davison), 3:47.97; 3. Mullen (Grace Champagne, Edith White, Sarah Vasten, Avery White), 4:22.42.
Back