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Raya Woods competes in Queen Creek. Jeanine Apuron | Sea Lions
Michael Garcia competes in Queen Creek. Jeanine Apuron | Sea Lions
Jazelle Sanchez competes in Queen Creek. Jeanine Apuron | Sea Lions
Miner Swimmers traveled to Canyon State Academy in Queen Creek last Tuesday to compete in a four team swim meet against Poston Butte High School, Arete Preparatory Academy (formerly Mesa Prep) and Canyon State Academy. The Miner Girls team found themselves on the short end of an unexpectedly close three way meet with the final scores of: Arete Prep 112, Poston Butte 107, and San Manuel 93 (Canyon State Academy is a boys only school). The Miner Boys won the meet by a significant margin: San Manuel 130, Arete Prep 107, Canyon State 86, and Poston Butte 29.
The Miner Girls were unable to win any events at the meet, but several second place finishes by Junior Theresa Sweeney, Freshman Raya Woods, Senior Jazelle Sanchez and Senior Fernanda Vasquez kept the Miners close against two very large teams from much larger schools.
The proper timing system and array of officials made this meet a State Qualifier Meet. Freshman sensation Will Newman wasted no time putting his name on the list of state qualifiers in the 200 Individual Medley (2:14.39) and the 100 Backstroke (1:00.63), winning both races and shaving fractions of a second off the school records in each. Sophomore Colbey Stratton won both of his individual events, the 50 Free (25.79) and the 100 Butterfly (1:05.45) and is within reach of state qualifying times in both events. Individual wins for Junior Taylor Woods in the 100 Freestyle (57.38) and Junior Jacob Christian in the 500 Freestyle (6:28.71) were keys to the victory for the boys.
The Boys Medley Relay started the meet off with a win for the Miners. This week the team of Will Newman, Taylor Woods, Colbey Stratton, and Sophomore Robert Sweeney won the opening event. Winning the medley relay is important. Since it is the first event at high school swim meets and involves four swimmers each swimming a different stroke, it sets the tone for the whole meet.
The 400 Free Relay is the closing event at high school swim meets, and winning the final relay often will determine the winner of the meet. This year the boys have a very solid 400 Freestyle relay team of Stratton, Christian, Newman, and Woods. We will get a chance to see just how good they are at some of the large invitational meets in October.
Miner Swimmers will compete in a meet against Florence and Combs at the Merrill Ranch Pool in Florence on Thursday, Oct. 2 at 4 p.m.
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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