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Julie Ramirez. Photo courtesy Apuron Photography
The Sea Lions Swim Team traveled to Parkside (Florence Anthem) for the first swim meet of the 2017 Summer Season against the Parkside Piranhas, San Tan Valley Barracudas and Globe Piranhas. The Sea Lions won the meet with 774 points, while Parkside finished with 618 points, San Tan Valley finished with 141 points, and Globe finished with 34 points. The Sea Lions have won the League Championship in the Central Arizona Swimming League for last ten years and hope to make a run at an eleventh League Championship this summer.
Parkside is a well-coached team, with nearly twice the number of swimmers as the Sea Lions. The Sea Lions did an outstanding job of swimming all the events they could and came up big in some close races. It was the 9-10 Girls Medley Relay that set the tone for the meet. Parkside won the first two events (8 and under Girls Medley Relay and the 8 and Under Boys Medley Relay), and the Sea Lions found themselves with only two 9-10 Girls at the meet. League rules allow swimmers to swim 2 legs of the relay when the team does not have 4 swimmers in the age group, so nine year old Jessica Rouse would have to swim the Backstroke and Butterfly legs of the relay (tough duty for the first meet as a nine year old) and ten year old Julie Ramirez would have to swim the Breaststroke and Freestyle legs. As the race took place, Parkside jumped to lead in the Backstroke leg, while the Sea Lions hung on in 3rd or 4th place through Breaststroke and Butterfly legs. Jessica’s solid Butterfly leg closed the gap giving the Sea Lions hope of catching the 2nd place team. On the final leg with a good start, Julie quickly caught the 2nd place team and began closing the gap on the Parkside team. A superb flip turn and final sprint to the finish was enough to pull ahead and win the race.
Simon Fletcher. Photo courtesy Apuron Photography
Coach Alex Gort commented, “After seeing that race, I knew we were in good shape. Jessica and Julie swam an outstanding race and continued to give it their all even when things did not look good. Without winning that race, we would have had to dig out of a 0-3 hole in the relays, instead we were in a much better position early in the meet.”
Seven swimmers entered the maximum number of events and won them all. Simon Fletcher (6), Johnny Smallhouse (10), Brianna Castellanos (12), Ben Fister (12), Tabitha Kellam (13), Evan Apuron (13) and Darien Apuron (15) each won all of the events they swam at the meet.
The following swimmers had first place finishes on Saturday:
Annie Nemons, 6, (Fly);
Simon Fletcher, 6, (Fly, Back, Breast, Free)
Jessica Rouse, 9, (Medley Relay, Free Relay);
Cooper Dale, 9, (Medley Relay, Free, Relay);
Julie Ramirez, 10, (Fly, Back, Medley Relay, Free Relay);
Martin Madrid, 10, (Medley Relay, Free Relay);
Johnny Smallhouse. Photo courtesy Apuron Photography
Johnny Smallhouse, 10, (Fly, Back, 100 Free, Breast, Free, Medley Relay, Free Relay);
Nevaeh Derrick, 11, (Medley Relay, Free Relay);
Ethan Kellam, 11, (Medley Relay, Free Relay);
Joey Castellanos, 11, (Free Relay);
Mason Stewart, 11, (Medley Relay, Free Relay);
Brianna Castellanos. Photo courtesy Apuron Photography
Brianna Castellanos, 12, (Fly, Back, 100 Free, Breast, Free, Medley Relay, Free Relay);
Mia Dale, 12, (Medley Relay, Free Relay);
Ashlee Parker, 12, (Medley Relay, Free Relay);
Ben Fister, 12, (Fly, Back, 100 Free, Breast, Free, Medley Relay, Free Relay);
Rianna Estrada, 13, (Free Relay);
Tabitha Kellam, 13, (Fly, Back, 100 Free, Breast, Free, Medley Relay, Free Relay);
Evan Apuron, 13, (Fly, Back, 100 Free, Breast, Free, Medley Relay, Free Relay);
Riley Stewart, 13, (Medley Relay, Free Relay);
Hunter Hill, 13, (Medley Relay, Free Relay);
Star Chavez, 14, (Medley Relay);
Darien Apuron, 15, (Fly, Back, 100 Free, Breast, Free, Medley Relay, Free Relay);
Andres Valenzuela, 15, (Back, Breast);
Jessi Rice, 16, (Medley Relay, Free Relay);
Raya Woods, 17, (Medley Relay, Free Relay).
This was the first swim meet for Zara Allmendinger (15). Zara competed in the Backstroke, the 50 Freestyle, and the 100 Freestyle. Zara was also a member of both the Medley Relay which finished 3rd and the Freestyle Relay which finished 4th.
Julie Ramirez was named Sea Lions Beast of the Week. She swam all the events, and achieved best times in each event. Julie won both the Butterfly and Backstroke against a tough field. There was little doubt who would be Beast of the Week after seeing her relay swims. Julie had to swim two legs on the Medley Relay, and she came from behind on the anchor leg for the win at a time when the Sea Lions needed a win. The same scenario was repeated in the Freestyle Relay, where Julie’s grit and determination was enough to win in the last few meters.
The Sea Lions will host a meet against the Globe Piranhas at the Mammoth Pool on Saturday, June 10.
There is still time to join the team – contact Alex or Wendy Gort at 896-2190 or stop by the Mammoth Pool between 4 and 6 p.m. (Monday-Friday) for more information.
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