South swimmers relaxed

HARLINGEN — There’s a lot of laughter and just a little bit of teasing as the state-bound members of the Harlingen South swimming team stand around the Pendleton Park pool.

Harlingen South coach John Abbott looks on and smiles just a little bit. He probably has a right to. After all, he’s got nine swimmers heading up to Austin for Friday and Saturday’s meet.

“I think this is the most kids we have ever had go,” he said. “It’s the first time, we’ve had two relays and we have the first girl swimmer going as well.”

South did have a female diver go to the state meet in 1994.

Sophomore Erika Gutierrez is the swimmmer and she qualifed by winning the 200-yard freestyle at the Region VIII meet in Brownsville.

It’s her first time to go to the state meet.

“I’m nervous,” she said.

Junior Ross Engel, who is something of a World War II buff, went to the state meet last season and qualified in four events this year. He will swim legs in the medley relay and the freestyle relay as well as swimming individually in the 200 freestyle and the 100 breaststroke.

“There are lots of good swimmers at the state meet,” he said.

And while Engel, Gutierrez, Hector Castaneda, Charlie Crockett and Tony John will all get other shots at the state meet the end of their high school swimming careers is looming large for the three seniors on the South team.

“It’s our last meet,” said Cord Salazar, who will swim a leg in the medley relay along Engel, Castaneda and fellow senior Anthony Dominguez. Raul Aguirre, the third senior will swim in the 200 freestyle relay along with Dominguez, Crockett and John. J.C. Gonzalez is going as an alternate.

“We’re in our own little world here in the Valley,” Salazar said. “So, it’s a great chance to see more swimmers.”

Dominguez knows that they will see some very good swimmers.

“We’ll get see people set some records,” he said.

It’s definitely a step up in class for the local swimmers.

“Texas swimming is fast,” said Abbott. “Three national records were broken this season.”

The event will get underway on Friday at the Lee and Joe Jamail Texas Swimming Center on the campus of the University of Texas.