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Darien Apuron, Gianna Sweeney, Raquel Ortiz, and Raya Woods are all smiles after qualifying for the State Championship Meet in the 200 Freestyle Relay.
Some of the medal winners from the So. AZ Regional Meet, from left: back row, Riley Stewart, Rachael Ortiz, Darien Apuron, Tabitha Kellam; front row, Evan Apuron, Mason Stewart, Johnny Smallhouse, Ethan Kellam. Not pictured are Gianna Sweeney, Hanna Smallhouse, Taylor Woods, Raya Woods, Brianna Castellanos, Joey Castellanos, Nate Fister, Ben Fister. Vince Apuron | Miner
The Regional Age Group Championship Swim Meet was held Feb. 20-22 at the Valley Aquatic Center in Yuma, Ariz. Sixteen teams from Western and Southern Arizona competed at the meet. The final team standings were as follows:
1. Desert Thunder – Chandler (797)
2. San Manuel Sea Lions (533)
3. Phoenix Swim Club (511)
4. Tucson JCC Stingrays (417)
5. Tucson Ford (416)
6. Yuma Heat (358)
7. Life Time Arizona (233)
8. Flying Fish – Oro Valley (190)
9. Sahuarita Aquatics (134)
10. Tucson YMCA (91)
11. Havasu Stingrays (87)
12. Oro Valley Swim Team (77)
13. Tiger Sharks – Tucson (70)
14. La Mariposa – Tucson (61)
15. Sierra Vista Tsunamis (49)
16. Monsoon Swim Club – Tucson (35)
Swimmers must have achieved regional qualifying times at sanctioned USA swim meets to be eligible to swim in the regional championships. Fifteen swimmers from San Manuel qualified for the meet. There were many great individual races from the Sea Lions, but it was the relays that propelled the Sea Lions into second place overall to bring home a team trophy. Finishing second place at a regional championship meet is a huge accomplishment by the Sea Lions and was best summed up by one of the younger swimmers, “We won second place!”
Coach Alex Gort proudly stated, “At this meet the 13-14 Girls came through in a big way!” In fact, going into the meet, the 13-14 Girls Relay Team of Gianna Sweeney (13), Raya Woods (14), Raquel Ortiz (14), and Darien Apuron (13) were seeded in fourth or fifth place in each of the five relays contested and had hopes of achieving state qualifying times in each. In the opening event, the 200 Freestyle Relay, the girls finished second and achieved a state qualifying time. At the end of that session on Friday night in the 200 Medley Relay, it was the Sea Lions that won, again qualifying for state. That group of girls went on to win the 800 Free Relay and 400 Medley Relay on Saturday and Sunday. When it was evident that any legal finish in the final relay of the meet would earn the team a trophy, the girls performed safe relay exchanges on the way to finish third in the relay and secured second place in the team standings.
The 12 and under boys won all four Relays – Riley Stewart (11), Mason Stewart (9), Evan Apuron (11), and Nate Fister (12) won the 200 and 400 Medley Relays, while Riley Stewart, Ben Fister (9), Nate Fister and Evan Apuron won the 200 and 400 Free Relays. In the 10 and under relays, it was the team of Mason Stewart, Joey Castellanos (9), Ethan Kellam (9) and Johnny Smallhouse (8) that finished second in the 200 Free Relay, and the team of Joey Castellanos, Ethan Kellam, Ben Fister, and Johnny Smallhouse that finished second in the 200 Medley Relay.
Medals were awarded for the top three finishers and in addition to the relay medals, nine swimmers came home with medals in individual events. Evan Apuron lead the pack with the most individual wins, Evan won the 1000 Free, 50 Back, 100 Back, and 200 Fly. Taylor Woods (16) won three races, 50 Back, 50 Breast, and 100 Free while also finishing in the top three in the 200 Free and 100 Back. Gianna Sweeney won the 50 and 200 Breast and medaled in the 1650 Free, 50 Free, 1000 Free, 100 Breast, and 200 IM. Riley Stewart won the 50 and 100 Breast, while finishing in the medal contention in the 1000 Free, 50 Free, 200 Free, 100 IM, and 100 Free. Tabitha Kellam (11) won the 200 Breast, and took home medals in the 1000 Free, 50 Breast, 50 Free, 200 Free, 100 Free, 200 IM, and 500 Free. Darien Apuron won the 400 IM, and placed in the top three in the 100 Fly, 200 Back, and 200 Fly. Raquel Ortiz finished second in the 50 Fly, Mason Stewart finished third in the 100 IM, and Nate Fister took third in the 100 Free.
Thirteen Sea Lion Swimmers have qualified in individual events or relays to participate in the Age Group State Championship Meet. This is the largest group of Sea Lions ever headed to the state meet which will be held March 5-8 at the Oro Valley Aquatic Center.
Anyone who would like more information about the Sea Lions Swim team can contact Alex Gort at 896-2190.
There are news or informational items frequently written by staff or submitted to the Copper Basin News, San Manuel Miner, Superior Sun, Pinal Nugget or Oracle Towne Crier for inclusion in our print or digital products. These items are not credited with an author.
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