By GABRIELLE SHIOZAWA
Moapa Valley Progress
As they walked into the Carson Aquatic Center in Carson City last weekend for the 2017 NIAA State Swimming Championship, they were triumphant in their knowledge that they had already made history. The eight state-qualifying members of the Moapa Valley High School Swim Team were some of the first to ever do so; following Porter Lamping’s groundbreaking victory in 2013. Making it this far was an achievement already—getting to compete among the best swimmers in Nevada was just icing on the cake.
The team of Hannah Leavitt, Hailee Heiselbetz, Abbie Leavitt, and Jaci Holmes started out the competition with an exciting performance in the Women 200 Yard Freestyle Relay. In a narrow race against SECTA, the Pirate girls were able to shave precious seconds off of their time from Regionals, ending the event at 2:06.62 and beating out their competitors. They took sixth place overall.
After a close battle against Churchill County in the Men 200 Yard Freestyle Relay, the team of Zane Lamping, Chase LaCroix, Samuel Jolley, and Tyler Holmes took eighth place with their time of 1:45.29.
Even with their minimal numbers, the Lady Pirates were able to tie with Lowry High for twelfth place overall. The boys took seventeenth.
“It’s thrilling to see the kids who have worked so hard throughout the season; both in their practices and in their academics; achieve the ultimate goal of being able to go to State,” said MVHS Coach Erinn Thompson, her voice brimming with pride.
Thompson explained that the lack of a year-round swim team at MVHS makes the Pirates an “underdog school” when compared to the more competitive high schools in Las Vegas.
“It’s exciting to see the number that we had go to State,” she said. “I’m happy for them.”
This concludes the season for the Pirate swimmers, but their achievements will surely set a precedent for the years to come.
