By EDWARD SEVERN, Staff Writer
LOS FRESNOS — The Los Fresnos Falcons swimming & diving team is sending six athletes to the UIL state meet.
Senior diver Angel Lopez qualified for the meet by finishing second in 1-meter diving.
“I am thrilled,” he said. “Regionals was a rough meet because we were also swimming, the noise and distractions made it a bit chaotic, but I am excited and plan on breaking the school record at state.”
Falcons senior Jayden Crews will be competing in the 100-yard butterfly.
“It feels great to be making it back to state,” he said. “I am not entirely where I wanted to be, but it is an opportunity to swim in a fast pool.”
The Lady Falcons will be busy in Austin. Individually, three girls qualified for the meet.
Standout junior Jada Ashford, the girls swimmer of the regional meet, will swim the 100 breaststroke and 100 butterfly.
“This is my third year, so I know what to expect,” Ashford said. “I am going to try and do my best, and get in the top eight.”
Despite cruising in the regional meet, Ashford did not taper leading up to it.
“I was still going hard, even the Thursday before regionals, but now I am taking it easy,” Ashford said. “I am trying to get prepared to run my fastest race.”
Junior Ariana Mancillas also had a good day in the pool at the regional meet. She will compete in the 200 medley and the 100 freestyle.
“This is the first year I qualified for individual events,” Mancillas said. “That was one of my goals since freshman year, and I am glad that I accomplished that goal to make freshman year, me, happy.”
Senior Reiana Apacible finished second in the 100 backstroke at the regional meet to book a lane at state.
“It is kind of nerve-wracking to be around a lot of fast swimmers,” Apacible said. “Honestly, I know I am not one of the best out there and other people in the state might not think we deserve to be there, but after all the hard work I put into the sport, I deserve to be there.”
Ashford, Mancillas and Apacible will be joined by senior Angela Loera in the 200 medley relay and the 200 freestyle relay. Both relays took home gold at the regional meet.
“I am excited now because we are so close to breaking a school record,” Loera said. “It is one of our goals for when we are up there.”
The Lady Falcons will need to shave off a second in the medley relay to grab that record.