VC Women 9th, Men 12th after Day 1 of State

The VC Men's and women's swimming and diving teams competed on Day 1 of the CCCAA State Championships at De Anza College in Cupertino with the Pirate women totaling 51 points, good for a tie for ninth place overall, and the Ventura men earning 42 points for 12th place in the standings. Alli Hopkins and Cooper Fuchs led the Pirate women and men, respectively, on the first day of state competition.

The women's 200-yard freestyle relay team of Kaitlin Reagan Gracelyn De La Cruz, Ary Martinez and Hopkins began the day with a strong start, qualifying for the evening finals and placing 11th. The 400-yard medley relay team of De La Cruz, Adrianna Bese, Hopkins and Reagan turned in a time of 4:04.44 to earn the Pirates' a fourth place finish. Hopkins, meanwhile, also came in ninth in the 50-yard freestyle, touching in a time of 24.97.

For the men, Fuchs turned in VC's best finish of the day. He had the best qualifying  time in the 50-yard free, touching in 20.57, and he came in third in the evening session's finals with a time of 20.57. The men's 200-yard freestyle relay team of Fuchs, Tobias Hynes, Jake Peters and Garrett Gallagher finished sixth.

Orange Coast totaled 174 points on the first day of races, with Diablo Valley and San Diego Mesa in a distant second and third with 116 and 111. Diablo Valley and Sierra were locked in a battle for the top spot with the men with 163 and 150 points, respectively, while Mt. San Antonio had 92 points for third.

The CCCAA State Championships continue in Cupertino on Friday May 3 before concluding on Saturday May 4.