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2017 San Manuel High School Swimming Team: Back row L-R Alyssa Riekofski (Fr), BaiLee Hill (So), Jayden Smith (Fr), Daniel Garcia (Jr), Evan Apuron (Fr), Michael Primero-Predgo (Jr), Aubrey Bridges (Fr); Front row L-R Jasmine Smith (Jr), Bonnie Bridges (Jr), Gianna Sweeney (Jr), Darien Apuron (Jr Captain), Estrella “Star” Chavez (Fr), Raya Woods (Sr Captain); not pictured Zara Allmendinger (So). Apuron Photography
Twenty-four high school swim teams competed at the Southern Arizona Regional Qualifier Swim Meet in Oro Valley on Oct. 27-28. It was the final opportunity for the teams from Southern Arizona to achieve qualifying times for the State Championship Meet this weekend. In the team scores the Miners finished in the middle of the pack (Girls 10th with 94 points, and Boys 14th with 60 points), but since the Miners represented one of the smaller schools at the meet, the team was proud of their results.
The preliminary session was held on Friday. The goal in prelims was to advance to the finals held on Saturday. With 24 teams at the meet achieving a top 16 finish is great accomplishment. Some stellar performances by the Miners did just that, earning spots for 5 relays and 8 individual events. The fact that every Miner swimmer at the Meet swam in the Finals on Saturday had Coach Alex Gort very happy.
The Girls Medley Relay Team of Sophomore Bailee Hill, Junior Bonnie Bridges, Freshman Aubrey Bridges, and Freshman Alyssa Riekofski finished in 13th place to get things going for the Miners. The Boys Medley Relay Team of Junior Michael Primero-Predgo, Freshman Jayden Smith, Freshman Evan Apuron, and Junior Daniel Garcia swam to a 15th place finish.
Senior Raya Woods finished 16th in the 200 Freestyle.
Evan Apuron put in a great swim to win the 200 Individual Medley (IM) in a time of 2:05.85. Later in the meet, Evan swam a School Record time of 1:04.61 in the Breaststroke on his way to a second place finish. The previous record was held by Wayne Newman and was set in 2012.
Junior Darien Apuron had an outstanding swim to finish 2nd in the 100 Butterfly. Darien achieved a new School Record time of 1:02.18, taking nearly a full second off the record she already held. Darien also had an 11th place finish in the 100 Backstroke.
Junior Gianna Sweeney bettered her own School Record with a time of 57.21 to finish 3rd in the 100 Freestyle. Gianna also swam to a 5th place finish in the 100 Breaststroke.
Michael Primero-Predgo put together his best race ever to finish 12th in the 100 Backstroke.
The Girls 200 Freestyle Relay team of Gianna Sweeney, Raya Woods, Freshman Star Chavez, and Darien Apuron finished 10th. The same four girls swam to a 9th place finish in the 400 Freestyle Relay.
With 3 new school records, and some great individual and relay swims, the Miners look ready to compete in the Division III State Championship Meet. The Division III State Swim Championship will be held at Phoenix Country Day Aquatic Center in Paradise Valley beginning on Friday, Nov. 3 at 3:30 p.m., with Finals scheduled for 2 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 4. Go Miners! #minerpride
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