Normally, the Central Arizona Swimming League opens the season with a meet involving all the teams. This year due to virus concerns each team started the season with a Boys vs Girls Meet at their home pool. The Sea Lions Boys outscored the Sea Lions Girls 353 – 339 at the meet on Saturday, June 13.
The Sea Lions have a group of 6 and under boys that are very good. Asher Riekofski, Gabriel Hudson, Gabriel Marquez, and Alex Ervin have all improved tremendously over last season and look to be the strength of the team for years to come.
In the 9-10 Girls, Annie Nemons and Jocelyn Hudson are some of the fastest swimmers in the League. They were both considerably faster than the end of last season and looked very good at the meet.
If there was an age group that represents the strength of the Sea Lions, it would be the 11-12 Boys. Ethan Erickson, Cooper Dale, and Athan Riekofski won the relay by large margins. Ethan and Cooper swam some times that were faster than many of the older boys at the meet.
The following swimmers had first place finishes on Saturday:
Alex Ervin, (6), (Fly, Back, Breast, Free);
Alianna Rinney (7), (IM, Back, 50 Free, Free, Medley Relay, Free Relay);
Kori Andrade (7), (Fly, Breast, Medley Relay, Free Relay):
Arizona Axe (8), (Medley Relay, Free Relay);
Annie Nemons (9), (Breast, Medley Relay, Free Relay);
Jocelyn Hudson (10), (IM, Fly, Back, 100 Free, Free, Medley Relay, Free Relay);
Cooper Dale, (12), (Back, Medley Relay, Free Relay);
Athan Riekofski, (12), (Medley Relay, Free Relay);
Ethan Erickson, (12), (IM, Fly, 100 Free, Breast, Free, Medley Relay, Free Relay);
Julie Ramirez, (13), (Fly)
Mason Stewart, (14), (IM,Back, 100 Free, Breast, Free, Medley Relay, Free Relay);
Robert Sanz-Anton, (15), (Medley Relay, Free Relay)
Evan Apuron, (17), (IM, Fly, Back,100 Free, Breast, Free, Medley Relay, Free Relay);
This was the first swim meet for Alianna Rinney (7) and Lily Axe (12). They participated in all the events that they could complete, earned ribbons, and made the team proud.
Alianna Rinney was named Sea Lions Beast of the Week. She works hard in practice every day. In her first meet she swam all the events and won six of them! She even swam double legs on the relay teams.
The Sea Lions have won the League Championship for 12 out of the last 14 years (with 2 Second Place Team finishes the other years). Coach Alex Gort is optimistic about the team this year.
“We have many young swimmers who are improving rapidly, and that is always a good recipe for building a strong team in the future,” he said.
The Sea Lions will compete against the Tucson Aquabears Team at the La Cueva Aquatic Center (2045 W. Omar Dr) in Tucson on Saturday, June 20.
The Sea Lions still need a few more swimmers to fill out relay teams. 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 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday for more information.
