The Cortez Leopard Sharks and Mesa Verde Aquatics Club wrapped up their regular seasons last weekend at the Western Slope League Championships.
The Leopard Sharks had ten swimmers compete in the league meet, and although the MVAC team did not make the trip, Trent Bagge and Maddy Ludington competed individually.
The Leopard Sharks got great performances from a number of swimmers and scored 700.50 combined points to finish in eighth place as a team.
“It was a fun meet,” said head coach Ian MacLaren. “It’s always a treat to swim against the teams on the western slope. As a whole, we did some very good things, and we had some swims that could’ve been better. So I think that looking at it honestly, it’s something that we celebrate the successes and we learn from some of the mistakes and we come back and get back in the pool and strive to improve.”
MacLaren specifically pointed to Cody Farias, Tyler Cutrone, Delta Suckla and Bailey Duran for their accomplishments at the league meet.
Farias finished second in total points in the boys 11-12 age group, and he won the 100m freestyle, 200m free and 200m IM, took second in the 100m butterfly, placed third in the 50m fly, 50m free and 100m breaststroke and finished fifth in the 50m breast and sixth in the 50m backstroke.
“I was really impressed with what Cody Farias did,” MacLaren said. “He’s a big, strong 12 year old and over the course of the season he’s used that physical strength to win races. And at a meet of this quality, you no longer can simply win on physical strength. Cody went up and he made adjustments that he needed to make to win races. He swam with incredible intensity and focus, and as a result, he achieved very fine results and I was very proud of him.”
Swimming in the boys 13-14 age group, Tyler Cutrone also finished in second place in total points. He won the 100m breast, 200m breast and 200m back, took second in the 100m back, 200m IM and 1500m free, tied for third in the 200m free and finished third in the 400m free and placed seventh in the 50m free.
MacLaren also said how proud he was of Delta Suckla, who won the 50 and 100m breaststrokes, finished fourth in the 200m IM and sixth in the 50m back, took seventh in the 50m fly and 50m free and placed 11th in the 100m free.
“For a ten year old to go into a meet of that size and climb up on the block and simply dominate the competition in those two breaststroke races – the 50 breaststroke and the 100 breaststroke,” he said. “It’s a testament to her natural talent and her mental fortitude. And as a coach, you see those kinds of swims and it makes you really happy.”
Duran placed fifth in the 400m IM, 10th in the 200m breast and 400m free, 11th in the 200m IM, 12th in the 200m free, 13th in the 100m breast, 15th in the 100m fly and 18th in the 100m free.
But it was her demeanor that impressed MacLaren.
It also made an impact on the other Western Slope League coaches, as they voted Duran as the swimmer exhibiting the best sportsmanship.
“I thought that it was a well-deserved award,” said MacLaren. “It’s nice to get recognition from the west slope coaches, and it’s certainly a testament to Bailey’s sportsmanship.”
The Leopard Sharks also got key performances from Caisey Duran, Ryan Cutrone, Victoria Duran, Benny Lewis, Lynda LaPaz and Judy Ha.
Caisey placed sixth in the 400m IM, eighth in the 200m back, ninth in the 100 and 200m breast, 11th in the 100m back, 13th in the 400m free, 14th in the 50m free, 16th in the 200m IM and 19th in the 100m free.
Cutrone finished sixth in the 100 and 200m breast, 10th in the 100m back, 11th in the 400m free, 12th in the 200m IM, 14th in the 200m free and 15th in both the 50 and 100m free.
Victoria placed second in the 200m breast, third in the 100m back, 200m IM and 400m free, fourth in the 200m free, 100m breast and 200m back and eighth in the 100m free.
Lewis took 10th in the 50m fly, 12th in the 100m free and 100m back, 13th in the 50m free and 15th in the 50m back, LaPaz finished 23rd in the 100m back and 29th in the 50m free and Ha placed 25th in the 100m back and 36th in the 100m free.
While the regular season concluded, the Leopard Sharks qualified four swimmers for the Colorado Swimming Long Course State Championships, scheduled for July 22-24 at Colorado Mesa University.
Suckla qualified in both the 50 and 100m breaststroke, Farias qualified in the 50, 100 and 200m freestyle, Tyler Cutrone will swim in the 100 and 200m breaststroke and 1500m freestyle and Ryan Cutrone will compete in the 50m freestyle.
“This Colorado state meet is really the elite meet in Colorado,” said MacLaren. “It’s the fastest club swim meet you’ll see in Colorado all year, so it will certainly be a real treat to go up there to Grand Junction.”
The week after, July 29-31, is the Scottie Aschermann Memorial LSC Seasonal Championship meet in Craig, Co, where Suckla and Farias will also compete.
Although the MVAC did not send its entire team to the Western Slope Championships, Trent Bagge and Maddy Ludington competed.
Bagge finished second in the 50m freestyle and Ludington took 10th in the 200m breaststroke to score 24 points for the squad to finish 16th in the team standings.
MVAC also had swimmers qualify for the Long Course State Championships and the Seasonal Championship meet.
Trent Bagge will swim the 50m free at the State Championships, Sam Bagge qualified in the 50 and 100m free and Jenna Barner will compete in the 100m free. And Tessa Jackson and Will Brown will both compete at the seasonal state meet.
MVAC head coach Kevin Ketterer was unavailable for comment.
