Four year old Travis Runcte competes. Photo courtesy of Apuron Photography
The Sea Lions Swim Team hosted Eloy and Florence at the Mammoth Pool on Saturday for the first Home Meet of the season. The Sea Lions won the meet with 876 points, Eloy finished 2nd with 162 points, and Florence finished 3rd with 61 points. The outcome of the meet was never in doubt as the Sea Lions won 55 out of the 64 individual events and all 16 of the relays.
Coaches were very happy with the 96 personal best times attained at the meet. Coach Alex Gort indicated, “Swimming faster than the other swimmers is fun, but the real measure of improvement is the number of personal best times. We had a lot of best times! ”
Six Sea Lion Swimmers swam all the events and had personal best times in each one. Jocelyn Hudson (8), Jessica Rouse (10), Arianna Ervin (11), Martin Madrid (11), Mia Dale (13), and Robert Sanz-Anton (13) all swam every event in their age group and achieved best times.
The following swimmers swam the maximum number of the events at the meet and won them all.
Jocelyn Hudson (10), Cooper Dale (10), Joey Castellanos (12), Rianna Estrada (13), Evan Apuron (14), Andres Valenzuela (16), and Darien Apuron (17) each won all the events they swam at the meet.
Evan Apuron broke 4 team records at the meet, all in events that he previously held the team record. New records set by Evan were 1:07.50 in the 100 Breaststroke, 24.56 in the 50 Freestyle, 53.24 in the 100 freestyle, and 2:06.55 in the 200 Individual Medley (IM).
The following swimmers had first place finishes on Saturday:
Travis Runcte, 4, (Fly, Back);
Annie Nemons, 7, competes. Photo courtesy of Apuron Photography
Annie Nemons, 7, (Medley Relay, Free Relay);
Jocelyn Hudson, 8, (IM, Fly, Back, 50 Free, Free, Medley Relay, Free Relay);
Jessica Rouse, 10, (IM, Fly, Back, 100 Free, Breast, Free, Medley Relay, Free Relay);
Cooper Dale, 10, competes. Photo courtesy of Apuron Photography
Cooper Dale, 10, (IM, Fly, Back, 100 Free, Breast, Free, Medley Relay, Free Relay);
Athan Riekofski, 10, (Medley Relay, Free Relay);
Julie Ramirez, 11, (IM, Back, 100 Free, Medley Relay, Free Relay);
Arianna Ervin, 11, (Medley Relay, Free Relay);
Neveah Derrick, 12, (Fly, Free, Medley Relay, Free Relay);
Martin Madrid, 11, (Medley Relay, Free Relay);
Johnny Smallhouse, 11, (Medley Relay, Free Relay);
Joey Castellanos, 12, (IM, Fly, Back, 100 Free, Breast, Free, Medley Relay, Free Relay);
Briana Castellanos, 13, (Medley Relay, Free Relay);
Mia Dale, 13, (Medley Relay, Free Relay);
Robert Sanz- Anton, 13, (Medley Relay, Free Relay);
Rianna Estrada, 14, (IM, Fly, Back, 100 Free, Breast, Free, Medley Relay, Free Relay);
Evan Apuron, 14, (IM, Fly, Back, 100 Free, Breast, Free, Medley Relay, Free Relay);
Hunter Hill, 14, (Medley Relay, Free Relay);
Riley Stewart, 14, (Medley Relay, Free Relay);
Star Chavez, 15, (Medley Relay, Free Relay);
Andres Valenzuela, 16, (Fly, 100 Free, Breast, Medley Relay, Free Relay);
Darien Apuron, 17, (Fly, Back, 100 Free, Breast, Free);
Jessi Rice, 17, (Medley Relay, Free Relay).
Four year old Travis Runcte competed in his first swim meet in the 6 and Under Boys age group. He won the 25 Butterfly and 25 Backstroke.
Jessica Rouse was named Sea Lions Beast of the Week. She swam every event in her age group, and not only did she win every event, she also achieved a personal best time in each one. As a 10 year old, Jessica got bumped up to swim relays with the 11-12 Girls and both the Medley Relay and Freestyle Relay won. Jessica’s regular attendance and hard work in practice is putting her among the faster 9-10 Girls in the Central Arizona Swim League.
The Sea Lions will host a meet against the Coolidge Dolphins at the Mammoth Pool on Saturday, June 16. If the meet last year is any indication (Sea Lions won 828-810), it is likely to be a close one.
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-Friday) for more information.