Gough 10th; Kaba, Lines 12th at AIA state swimming championships
Heather LaVin was already happy before her two swimmers hit the pool Saturday.
Last year, her Gila Ridge swim team had no one make it out of the first day of the AIA Division I Swim and Dive Championships. This year both Emily Gough and Weston Lines made the finals.
Gough took 10th in the girls’ 200-yard freestyle (1:56.22) and Lines 12th in the 100 butterfly (53.81) Saturday in Phoenix.
Cibola’s Jesse Kaba was the third swimmer from Yuma County, taking 12th in the 100 breaststroke (1:09.90).
Gough took off about half a second from her qualifying time Friday, while Lines added about .7 to his.
“He dropped a little bit but he did well,” LaVin said. “He was 12th overall so that’s not bad. Just for the fact that he and Emily both were able to make it to the finals. Last year we had none in the finals. It was a better year, a better showing for Gila Ridge than last year. Plus he automatically qualified in two events, so for him it was a great senior year.”
While Lines is getting done, the sophomore Gough is just getting started.
“She kept her time up and did real well,” Lavin said. “She was really excited.”
Cibola coach Richard McClure said it was a meaningful meet for Kaba, who he said decided not to pursue swimming at the next level.
“I think she’s satisfied,” McClure said. “She decided she didn’t want to pursue swimming beyond this point, and that’s a big decision for a kid. It makes it challenging. But she’s happy and ready to move on.”
JUCO FOOTBALL
McEvoy leads AWC past NMMI
For the second week in a row, Arizona Western quarterback Tanner McEvoy was the Matadors’ leading rusher.
But his ground game still paled in comparison to what he did through the air.
McEvoy threw for 331 yards and five touchdowns and added two on the ground as the Matadors pulled away from New Mexico Military Institute in the second half Saturday in a 59-30 win at Roswell, N.M.
The freshman quarterback completed 26 of 34 passes and did not throw an interception, amassing 84 yards on the ground and having a hand in all but one score for the Matadors (7-1 overall, 6-1 Western States Football League).
AWC trailed the Broncos early but tied the game at 17-17 on a 20-yard fly sweep from McEvoy to Tremaine McCullough. McEvoy opened the second half with a pair of touchdowns runs in the first eight minutes, then added a pair of touchdown passes to Andre O’Neil for a 45-17 lead.
O’Neil finished with seven catches for 81 yards, while Shaquan Curenton had 150 yards on six catches.
Sam Wren had two sacks for the Matadors and has 11 1/2 on the year.
The Matadors close their season out at home Saturday against Snow, likely with a shot at a fourth straight WSFL title on the line.
