13-14 yr. old boys swept the meet with A.J. Lopez placing 3rd, Riley Stewart taking 2nd and Evan Apuron placing 1st. Photo courtesy Apuron Photography
The Sea Lions Swim Team competed in the Prescott Plunge Swim Meet at the indoor pool at Yavapai Community College over the weekend of Jan. 8-10. The meet featured 12 teams from throughout the State of Arizona. The Sea Lions earned 618.5 points, which was enough to win the Quality Team High Point Trophy (awarded to the team earning the most points per swimmer).
Since the Sea Lions rarely compete in indoor meets, the experience was good for everyone. Sea Lions made the most of the opportunity, swimming personal best times in 58 races. Every Sea Lion had at least one top 8 finish which help score points for the team. As is usually the case, the Sea Lions looked great in the relays, finishing two relays in the top 8 in each of the hotly contested open coed relays.
Six Sea Lions earned High Point Trophies based on the number of points they earned in individual events.
Ben Fister (12) won four individual events (50 Free, 100 Free, 100 Breast, 50 Fly) on his way to earning the Second Place High Point Trophy for 11-12 Boys with 72 points.
Tabitha Kellam (14) won the 13-14 Girls First Place High Point Trophy with 90 points. Tabitha won 3 events (200 IM, 400 IM, 200 Free) and finished second in the other 9 events she swam over the weekend.
Darien Apuron (16) earned the Third Place High Point Trophy for the 15 and Over Girls with a total of 61 points.
Sea Lions Swim Team. Photo courtesy Apuron Photography
Evan Apuron (14), Riley Stewart (14) and AJ Lopez (14) swept the 13-14 Boys High Point Awards. Evan won 9 events (200 Fly, 200 Back, 200 Breast, 100 Free, 100 Breast, 50 Fly, 400 IM, 50 Breast, 100 Fly) and finished 2nd in his other events to earn 95 points and the First Place High Point Trophy. Riley won 5 events (500 Free, 200 IM, 50 Back, 200 Free, 100 Back) on his way to earning 86 points and the Second Place High Point Trophy. AJ found himself tied for 4th place in the high point standings with 32 points entering the last day of competition. He started his final day off with a State Qualifying Swim in the grueling 400 IM (his first individual State Qualifying Time). AJ continued with personal best swims in the 200 Free, 100 Back and 100 Fly finishing no worse than third all day and collecting enough points to secure the Third Place High Point Trophy with 56.5 points.
By any measure, the Sea Lions had great success at the meet. Swimmers (Mia Dale, Ben Fister, Ethan Kellam, Mason Stewart, and Andres Valenzuela) qualified 8 events for the Junior Olympic Meet in February. Swimmers (AJ Lopez, Mason Stewart, Ben Fister) qualified 6 events for the State Championship Meet in March. Sea Lions Swimmers (Evan Apuron, Riley Stewart, Tabitha Kellam) broke 14 Meet Records. Swimmers (Mia Dale, Julie Ramirez, Ethan Kellam, Mason Stewart, Darien Apuron, Evan Apuron, Tabitha Kellam, Riley Stewart) broke 25 Sea Lions Team Records.
The San Manuel Sea Lions Swim Team practices in Oro Valley during November – March while the water is too cold to hold practice in San Manuel or Mammoth. Anyone interested in more information on the Sea Lions can contact Alex Gort (896-2190) or check the team website, sealionsswimteam.com.