Baxter helps Clovis West to varsity title at swim meet

Clovis West High’s Tristin Baxter has found another gear now that her surgically repaired shoulder is no longer an issue.

Baxter swam two All-America times in individual events and helped two relay teams also post All-America marks to lead the host school to the combined varsity title at the Clovis West Invitational swimming and diving meet Saturday at Clovis Olympic Swim Complex.

With 795 points from its girls and boys combined, the Golden Eagles outdistanced Archbishop Mitty of San Jose (699) and Clovis (320.5) to win the state’s largest high school swimming meet. Archbishop Mitty topped Clovis West 481-399 for the girls title, while the Golden Eagles beat Clovis 396-276.5 for the boys crown.

And it was Baxter who emerged as the girls co-MVP after winning the 500 free (4:50.47) and 200 free (1:50.38).

“I wasn’t sure I’d be able to do it so I was happy with these times,” Baxter said. “I’ve just got to keep working hard at practice.”

Baxter’s time in the 500 free smashed her own meet record of 4:53.95 set in 2007, seven months before she damaged bone and cartilage in her right shoulder while playing in the Central Section Division I water polo championship. It was also 10 seconds faster than the time she swam while winning the event at the section championships last year.

Baxter wasn’t done there. She swam the leadoff leg of the 200 free relay, with Morgan Barros, MacKenzie Schuler and Mariah Tharp following to clock a meet record 1:38.13. Baxter was the anchor for the 400 free relay team, preceded by Tharp, Claire Martin and Schuler, that set a meet record in 3:32.20.

“There was a frustration last year with her shoulder and not being at this level,” said Steve Baxter, Clovis West’s coach and Tristin’s father. “She’s working for where she’s going to [college], and she’s working very hard.”

Tharp shared the girls MVP award after breaking her own meet record in the 50 free (24.33) and winning the 100 free (52.98).

With the section championships at Granite Hills in Porterville three weeks away, Loreen Whitfield-led Clovis East appears to be the main obstacle standing between Clovis West and a 13th straight girls Valley title.

Whitfield was the only other section swimmer to win individually when she swam an All-America time of 56.63 in the 100 butterfly. She also was part of the Timberwolves’ winning 200 medley relay team (1:52.37). Whitfield missed out on an individual double when Archbishop Mitty’s Laurence Delisle edged her (2:05.75-2:07.59) in the 200 individual medley.

On the boys side, Clovis West’s Cary Wright and Clovis’ Chris Dominguez shared MVP honors after each won two individual events.

Wright won the 500 free with an All-America consideration time of 4:39.70 and the 100 back in a personal-best 52.93. Wright will focus on the 500 free and 200 free at the section championships.

“I lost last year at CIF and I’ve been working hard this year to do better at that meet,” Wright said. “This pumps me up. I’m going faster than last season. Now I have the confidence I can go faster.”

Dominguez won the 100 free (47.12), 200 free (1:43.23) and was a member of the winning 200 free (1:28.10) and 400 free (3:13.11) relay teams. Dominguez and the Cougars stand between Clovis West and an 11th straight boys Valley title.

“I was a little bit slower than I’d like to be right now,” Dominguez said. “But compared to last season, I’m better so that’s good.”

Other area boys winners included Clovis West’s Jacob McGough in the 200 IM (1:56.80) and Golden West’s Ethan Holtman in the 50 free (21.95).

Four divers recorded All-America marks, including Clovis East’s Jacob Ruiz, who finished third among the boys with 383.70 points. Clovis East’s Megan O’Meara was second among the girls with 340.90, not far from the All-America mark of 365.0.