By Raymundo Frasquillo
MORENCI – The Renee Stills-coached Morenci swim team hosts a duel with Florence on Thursday, Sept. 26, beginning at 4 p.m. The sport is all about beating the clock and posting a faster time during the next outing.
Senior Pedro Young Jr. has times of 2:31.07 in the 200-meter individual medley and 1:17.78 in the 100 Breast following a Tucson Canyon del Oro state qualifying meet on Sept. 14.
Four other Morenci student-athletes as well as three relay teams entered in the same meet also posted times to improve on during the remainder of the season.
Junior Maxwell Clancy had 28.07 (50 Free) and 6:45.36 (500 Free), freshman Matthew Goodman 1:08.42 (100 Free) and 1:25.75 (100 Back), freshman Christian Kudadiri 1:18.27 (100 Fly), and freshman Caleb Hancock 2:27.95 (200 Free).
Last season, Young turned in a provisional 100 Fly (1:01.88) clocking and a state meet preliminary time of 1:2.14 for 28th, but neither was fast enough to qualify for the finals.
The Wildcats have participated in Maricopa (Sept. 5), Florence (Sept. 12), Canyon del Oro (Sept. 14), and Tucson Palo Verde Magnet (Sept. 19) prior to their own meet.
Morenci will take part in the 2-day Higley Williams Field Knight’s Invitational meet on Sept. 26-27, before hosting Coolidge and Gilbert San Tan Charter on Oct. 3 at 4 p.m.
The Wildcats visit Globe on Oct. 8, Chandler on Oct. 12, and Paradise Valley Phoenix Country Day School on Oct. 15. The state meet is at Mesa’s Skyline Aquatic Center, 845 South Crimson Road on Nov. 8-9.
Morenci Girls

Junior Isabell Leyba clocked in at 2:38.98 (200 IM) and 6:19.19 (500 Free), junior Emily Lewis 1:05.75 (100 Free) and 2:29.93 (200 Free), sophomore Giselle Nevarez 1:18.40 (100 Fly) and 1:25.89 (100 Back), freshman Avery Wiltbank 32.64 (50 Free) and 1:34.10 (100 Breast) during the CDO meet. Relay team times were 2:40.54 (200 MR) and 4:33.49 (400 FR). Senior Ciara Crandall and junior Cynthia Martinez did not have individual event times for the meet.
Last season, Leyba had 2:28.76 in the 200 individual medley for 16th while Lewis had 28.09 (50 Free) during the final state meet qualifier and 1:00.11 (100 Free) for No. 19 in the 2022 state meet preliminaries.