by 
Vince Apuron | Apuron Photography
The Sea Lions swim team hosted the Central Arizona League Championship Swim Meet on Saturday, July 18, at the San Manuel Swimming Pool and won the competition by more than 300 points.
The overall team scores were as follows:
• 1st place – San Manuel Sea Lions 1238 points
• 2nd place – Coolidge Dolphins 854 points
• 3rd place – Parkside Piranhas 539 points
• 4th place – San Tan Valley Barracudas 282 points
• 5th place – Eloy Otters 246 points
• 6th place – Globe Piranhas 161 points
• 7th place – Florence Sharks 59 points
This is the ninth consecutive year that the Sea Lions have won the League Championship Meet.
In the championship meet format, each swimmer is limited to three individual events and two relays. The following Sea Lion Swimmers won all five of the races that they swam: Tabitha Kellam, Evan Apuron, Riley Stewart, Darien Apuron, Gianna Sweeney, and Will Newman.
Sea Lion Swimmers broke 18 League Championship Meet Records. Since the championship brings the best swimmers from all the teams in the league, it is a tremendous achievement to break a Championship Meet Record. Sea Lion Swimmers who set new Championship Meet Records include: Johnny Smallhouse, Evan Apuron, Riley Stewart, Hunter Hill, Nate Fister, Gianna Sweeney, Darien Apuron, Will Newman, Taylor Woods, Colbey Stratton, and Jacob Christian.
Several swimmers also broke Sea Lion Team records at the meet. Johnny Smallhouse, Evan Apuron, Gianna Sweeney, Will Newman, Taylor Woods, Colbey Stratton, and Jacob Christian all set new team records at the championship meet.
Medals were awarded for the top three finishers in each event. Out of the 88 events, Sea Lions swimmers came home with 51 gold medals, 33 silver medals, and 19 bronze medals, which was much more than any other team.
With all seven teams in the league competing, any finish in the top eight places is an impressive achievement. The following Sea Lion swimmers had top eight finishes in their age groups at the Championship.
Annie Nemans, 4, (7th Fly, 6th Breast, 8th Free);
Kayla Lambiotte, 6, (1st Fly, 2nd Breast, 1st Free, 2nd Medley Relay, 2nd Medley Relay);
Anya Zovko, 7, (3rd IM, 4th Fly, 1st 50 Free, 2nd Medley Relay, 2nd Free Relay);
Mari Guisa, 7, (4th Back, 3rd Free Relay);
Jessica Rouse, 7, (7th IM, 6th Back, 5th 50 Free, 4th Medley Relay, 2nd Free Relay);
Mia Christian, 8, (8th Breast, 4th Free, 4th Medley Relay, 3rd Free Relay);
Julie Ramirez, 8, (6th IM, 6th Fly, 7th 50 Free, 4th Medley Relay, 3rd Free Relay);
Cooper Dale, 7, (5th Fly, 4th Back, 6th Breast, 2nd Medley Relay, 2nd Free Relay);
John Smallhouse, 8, (1st IM, 1st 50 Free, 1st Free, 2nd Medley Relay, 2nd Free Relay):
Rocky Andrade, 9, (3rd Fly, 5th 100 Free, 4th Free, 1st Medley Relay, 1st Free Relay);
Joey Castellanos, 9, (4th Fly, 2nd Back, 4th 100 Free, 1st Medley Relay, 2nd Free Relay);
Michael Oldham, 9, (5th Back, 5th Breast, 6th Free, 2nd Medley Relay, 2nd Free Relay)
Ethan Kellam, 9, (2nd IM, 3rd 100 Free, 4th Breast, 1st Medley Relay, 1st Free Relay);
Mason Stewart, 9, (1st IM, 1st Breast, 2nd Free, 1st Medley Relay, 1st Free Relay);
Emerik Zovoko, 9, (3rd IM, 3rd Breast, 3rd Free, 2nd Medley Relay, 1st Free Relay);
Ben Fister, 10, (2nd Fly, 1st Back, 1st 100 Free, 2nd Medley Relay, 1st Free Relay);
Brian Mullens, 10, (8th Back);
Robert Sanz-Anton, 10, (7th IM, 2nd Medley Relay, 2nd Free Relay);
Justin McBride Jr., 10, (7th Back);
Nevaeh Derrick, 9, (4th IM, 5th Fly, 3rd Free, 1st Medley Relay, 1st Free Relay);
Briana Castellanos, 10, (1st Fly, 1st 100 Free, 1st Free, 1st Free Relay);
Mia Dale, 10, (2nd Fly, 3rd 100 Free, 2nd Breast, 2nd Free Relay);
Ashlee Parker, 10, (1st IM, 1st Back, 2nd 100 Free, 1st Free Relay);
Gabby Arnett, 10, (2nd Back, 4th Breast, 5th Free, 1st Medley Relay, 2nd Free Relay);
Genevieve Estrada, 11, (3rd Fly, 4th Back, 3rd Free, 1st Free Relay);
Rianna Estrada, 11, (5th IM, 4th Fly, 7th 100 Free, 1st Medley Relay, 1st Free Relay);
Tabitha Kellam, 11, (1st IM, 1st Breast, 1st Free, 1st Free Relay, 1st Medley Relay);
Brianna Mullens, 11, (8th Free, 3rd Free Relay);
Riley Stewart, 11, (1st Back, 1st 100 Free, 1st Breast, 1st Medley Relay, 1st Free Relay);
Hunter Hill, 11, (3rd Back, 5th 100 Free, 4th Free, 1st Medley Relay, 1st Free Relay);
Brian Mulholland, 11, (2nd IM, 7th Fly, 4th Breast, 2nd Medley Relay, 2nd Free Relay);
Hannah Smallhouse, 11, (7th IM, 3rd Back, 4th 100 Free, 1st Medley Relay, 3rd Free Relay);
Evan Apuron, 11, (1st IM, 1st Fly, 1st Free, 1st Medley Relay, 1st Free Relay);
Aubrey Bridges, 12, (5th Fly, 5th Back, 5th Breast, 3rd Free Relay);
Star Chavez, 12, (4th IM, 2nd Fly, 3rd Breast, 1st Medley Relay, 1st Free Relay);
Nate Fister, 12, (2nd Fly, 2nd 100 Free, 2nd 50 Free, 1st Medley Relay, 1st Free Relay);
Desirae Guisa, 13, (4th Medley Relay, 3rd Free Relay);
BaiLee Hill, 13, (6th IM, 7th Back, 7th 100 Free, 4th Medley Relay, 3rd Free Relay);
Kayla Parker, 13, (4th Back, 5th 100 Free, 5th Free, 1st Medley Relay, 1st Free Relay);
Jayden Smith, 13, (5th Fly, 6th Breast, 8th Free, 2nd Medley Relay, 2nd Free Relay);
Andres Valenzuela, 13, (4th IM, 4th Back, 6th 100 Free, 2nd Medley Relay, 2nd Free Relay);
Gianna Sweeney, 13, (1st IM, 1st 100 Free, 1st Breast, 1st Medley Relay, 1st Free Relay);
Darien Apuron, 13, (1st Fly, 1st Back, 1st Free, 1st Free Relay, 1st Medley Relay);
Bonnie Bridges, 14, (5th Fly, 5th Breast, 8th, Free, 4th Medley Relay, 3rd Free Relay);
Jessi Rice, 14, (3rd Back, 4th 100 Free, 4th Free, 1st Medley Relay, 1st Free Relay);
Jasmine Smith, 14, (4th IM, 2nd Fly, 6th 100 Free, 4th Medley Relay, 3rd Free Relay);
Michael Predgo, 14, (1st Fly, 1st 100 Free, 2nd Free, 2nd Medley Relay, 2nd Free Relay);
Raya Woods, 15, (2nd IM, 1st 100 Free, 3rd Breast, 2nd Medley Relay, 2nd Free Relay);
Rebekah Head, 17, (3rd Back, 7th Breast, 4th Free, 2nd Medley Relay, 2nd Free Relay);
Will Newman, 14, (1st IM, 1st Fly, 1st Back, 1st Medley Relay, 1st Free Relay);
Jacob Christian, 16, (2nd IM, 2nd 100 Free, 4th Breast, 1st Medley Relay, 1st Free Relay)
Taylor Woods, 17, (2nd Back, 1st Breast, 1st Free, 1st Medley Relay, 1st Free Relay);
Colbey Stratton, 16, (2nd Fly, 1st 100 Free, 2nd Free, 1st Medley Relay, 1st Free Relay).
Ashlee Parker was named Sea Lion Beast of the Week for her outstanding performance in the Championship Meet. Ashlee works hard at practice and has been steadily improving with each meet. She topped off a very beastly season with 3 gold medals and 1 silver medal in the Championship Meet.
The Sea Lions Swim Team is finished with competition in the Central Arizona Swim League for the summer season, but will compete in several open meets over the next few months. The team is scheduled to host a USA Swimming Meet at the San Manuel pool on Aug. 22 and 23, 2015.
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