Competing in the Academy Invitational in Albuquerque, N.M., on Jan. 17, the Montezuma-Cortez High School girls swim team finished ninth in a 19-team field.
Albuquerque Academy won the meet and Los Alamos High School finished second overall.
Sophomore Samantha Bagge led the way for the Panthers, placing seventh in the 50-yard freestyle (26.92) and eighth in the 200-yard freestyle (2:13.74).
Also cracking the top-10 for M-CHS was senior Madison Van Bibber, who placed eighth in the 50-yard freestyle (27.13) and 12th in the 100-yard freestyle (1:01.84).
Sophomore Bailey Duran placed ninth in the 500-yard freestyle (6:12.80) and 18th in the 100-yard butterfly (1:14.39) and freshman Caisey Duran placed 13th in the 100-yard backstroke (1:11.87) and 18th in the 200-yard individual medley (2:37.01).
Other top finishes for the Panthers included senior Elana Cope, who finished 15th in the 200-yard freestyle (2:26.14) and Kayla Hageman, who finished 21st in the 200-yard freestyle (2:31.28).
The Panthers 400-yard freestyle relay team composed of Bailey Duran, Caisey Duran, Bagge and VanBibber finished ninth (4:15.70).
Next up for the Panthers will be a meet in Delta on Jan. 23.
