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The San Manuel Sea Lions Swim Team traveled to a relay meet held at the Merrill Ranch Anthem Pool in Florence on Saturday. The meet was a league wide meet, but only the Sea Lions, Parkside Piranhas, and the Coolidge Dolphins attended. A co-ed relay only format with combined age groups was used. No team scores were kept, but team pride was on the line for every event.
After an hour weather delay, the relay format proved to be fun and exciting as leads changed with each swimmer. In a vast majority of the races, the Sea Lions had what it took to win 17 out of the 20 events held.
The following swimmers swam on winning relays at the meet on Saturday:
Anya Zovko, 6, (Free);
Nevaeh Derrick, 8, (Medley, Fly, Back, Breast);
Rocky Andrade, 8, (Medley, Fly, Back, Free);
Joey Castellanos, 8, (Fly, Back, Free);
Emerik Zovko, 8, (Medley, Breast);
Mason Stewart, 8, (Medley, Back, Breast, Crescendo);
Ethan Kellam, 8, (Fly, Breast, Free, Crescendo);
Briana Castellanos, 9, (Back);
Genevieve Estrada, 10, (Fly);
Rianna Estrada, 10, (Breast, Free);
Evan Apuron, 11, (Medley, Fly, 4 x 100 Free, Crescendo);
Riley Stewart, 10, (Medley, Back, 4 x 100 Free, Free);
Star Chavez, 11, (IM, Breast);
Angelina Tilley, 11, (IM, Back, Breast);
Darien Apuron, 13, (Medley, Back, 4 x 100 Free, Crescendo);
Jayden Smith, 12, (IM, Medley, Fly, Breast);
Andres Valenzuela, 12, (IM, Fly, 4 x 100 Free, Free);
Garry Dadow, 12, (Free);
Jessi Rice, 13, (4 x 100 Free, Free);
Gillian Cole, 13, (Fly);
Michael Primero, 14, (Fly);
Will Newman, 14, (Medley, Free, Crescendo);
Angela Navarro, 15 (Medley, Fly, 4 x 100 Free, Free);
Jazelle Sanchez, 17, (Medley, Fly, 4 x 100 Free);
Timothy Mulholland, 17, (Medley, 4 x 100 Free, Free);
This week Eli Tilley (9) was named Sea Lions Beast of the Week. Eli swam a beastly leadoff Backstroke leg in the Medley Relay. Only in the co-ed relay format can you find yourself swimming head to head against your older sister in the adjacent lane. As the siblings took off, you could see the inner Beast in Eli take over as he battled stroke for stroke and surged to the finish ahead of his sister. He swam drastically faster than ever before. Eli is a first year swimmer with great work ethic and contagious smile. On Saturday he showed everyone that he has what it takes to be a great swimmer.
The Sea Lions swim team will host the Central Arizona League Championship Meet in San Manuel on Saturday, July 19 at 8 a.m. The Sea Lions have won the league championship every year since 2007, and have hopes of winning it again this year.
There is still time to join the team – contact Alex or Wendy Gort at 896-2190 or stop by the San Manuel Pool between 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. (Mon-Fri) for more information.
John Hernandez lives in Oracle. He is retired and enjoys writing and traveling. He is active in the Oracle Historical Society. He covers numerous public events, researches historical features and writes business/artist profiles.
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