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Fernanda Vasquez starts the final leg of the 400 Free Relay as Raya Woods finishes and Thersa Sweeney and Jazelle Sanchez look on. Kelli Luberda | Miner
Taylor Woods works to qualify for the state tournament at a Saturday swim meet.
Jeanine Apuron | Sea Lions
Alec Newman at the start of the 100 Breaststroke. Kelli Luberda | Miner
Will Newman broke a minute and won the 100 Backstroke at the Black Hawk Invitational Saturday.
Jeanine Apuron | Sea Lions
Theresa Sweeney competes in the Black Hawk Invitational Saturday in Gilbert.
Jeanine Apuron | Sea Lions
On Thursday, Oct. 2, the Miner Swimmers attended a three-way meet against Florence High School and Canyon State Academy in Florence. The final scores for the Girls teams were: San Manuel 78 and Florence 66. The Boys scores were: San Manuel 98, Florence 54, and Canyon State 20. Miner swimmers looked very good at the meet. Miners won 16 out of the 22 events at the meet.
The Miner Girls won 7 events; Theresa Sweeney won the 200 Freestyle with a strong come from behind finish and later won the 400 Freestyle. Mariela Canisales showed she is accomplished all around swimmer by winning the 200 Individual Medley. Jazelle Sanchez won the 50 Freestyle and 100 Butterfly. Miner Girls won both Freestyle Relays. The 200 Free Relay team of Sanchez, Raya Woods, Canisales, and Sweeney won a tight race in the closing meters. The 400 Free Relay team of Sweeney, Sanchez, Woods, and Fernanda Vasquez won unchallenged.
The Miner Boys’ put on a dominating performance winning nine out of the 11 races. The Miners started with a 200 Medley Relay win by Will Newman, Taylor Woods, Colbey Stratton and Jacob Christian. A win in the 200 Freestyle by Newman, followed by wins in the 200 Individual Medley by Michael Garcia and 50 Freestyle by Stratton left no doubt at the diving break who was the better team. The Miners went on to win the 100 Fly (Stratton), 100 Free (Christian), 400 Free (Newman), and 100 Backstroke (Woods). The 400 Freestyle Relay team of Stratton, Woods, Robert Sweeney, and Newman finished things off by winning by a margin of over 50 meters.
On Saturday, Miner swimmers competed in the Black Hawk Invitational meet in Gilbert at Williams Field High School. The meet was a state qualifying invitational with 11 teams attending bringing some of the best swimmers from the area. Miner swimmers had some great swims that achieved Division II State Qualifying Times. Will Newman swam a school record time of 5:13.18 in the 500 Freestyle on the way to second place finish and an automatic qualifying time. Newman broke a minute to win the 100 Backstroke with a time of 59.38 in hotly contested race that yielded the top two swimmers automatic qualifying times and another school record for Newman. The 400 Freestyle Relay team of Woods, Stratton, Christian, and Newman achieved a school record and consideration qualifying time of 3:45.75 (the top 24 relays will swim at the state championship meet).
Miner swimmers are looking forward to the next meet against Amphitheater, Tanque Verde and St. Augustine on Thursday, Oct. 9 at 4 p.m. at the Amphitheater High School Pool.
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