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AJ Lopez (10) Achieved best times in all his events. Jeanine Apuron | Sea Lions
Desirae Guisa (12) Competes in her first swim meet. Jeanine Apuron | Sea Lions
Darien Apuron (12) Finished her Butterfly with a record time previously held by Arielle Gray since 2011.
Jeanine Apuron | Sea Lions
Andy Rodriguez (9) Competes in his first swim meet. Jeanine Apuron | Sea Lions
The San Manuel Sea Lions hosted the Florence Sharks and the Eloy Otters on Saturday. The Sea Lions won the meet with 1,253 points. The Sharks finished second with 182 points and the Otters finished third with 142 points. This was the most points the Sea Lions have scored all year and the team remains undefeated with only one dual meet left before the League Championship Meet.
There were many outstanding swims by numerous swimmers at the meet. The team had more personal best times in this meet than in any other meet this season. The coaches expressed pride in the way the swimmers keep working hard to improve their times each week.
The following swimmers swam the maximum number of events and achieved best times in all of them: Emerik Zovko, Hannah Smallhouse, Genevieve Estrada, Ben Fister, AJ Lopez, Aubrey Bridges, Angelina Tilley, Jayden Smith, and Jessi Rice.
Three team records were broken at the meet. Darien Apuron bettered the 11-12 Girls 50 Butterfly record by 0.24 seconds with a time of 31.55. That record was previously held by Arielle Gray and set in 2011. Darien also shaved a tenth of a second off her own 50 Backstroke record (33.42). Will Newman improved his team record in the 100-yard Butterfly to a time of 1:02.03 by over 4 seconds.
Evan Apuron swam the maximum number of events and won all of them.
The following swimmers had first place finishes on Saturday:
Anya Zovko, 6, (Fly, Back, Free, Free Relay);
Cooper Dale, 6, (Back);
Ebony Galarza, 7, (Medley Relay);
Nevaeh Derrick, 8, (IM, Fly, 50 Free, Free, Medley Relay, Free Relay);
Malayah Renteria, 8, (Back, Medley Relay, Free Relay);
Rocky Andrade, 8, (Fly, 50 Free, Medley Relay, Free Relay);
Joey Castellanos, 8, (Free, Medley Relay, Free Relay);
Emerik Zovko, 8, (Medley Relay, Free Relay);
Mason Stewart, 8, (IM, Back, Breast, Medley Relay, Free Relay);
Briana Castellanos, 9, (IM, Back, 100 Free, Free Relay);
Hannah Smallhouse, 10, (Medley Relay);
Genevieve Estrada, 10, (Fly, Free, Medley Relay, Free Relay);
Rianna Estrada, 10, (Breast, Medley Relay, Free Relay);
Ben Fister, 9, (Medley Relay, Free Relay);
Evan Apuron, 10, (IM, Fly, Back, 100 Free, Breast, Free, Medley Relay, Free Relay);
Riley Stewart, 10, (Medley Relay, Free Relay);
AJ Lopez, 10, (Medley Relay);
Brian Mulholland 10, (Medley Relay);
Alicia Galarza, 11, (Medley Relay);
Nate Fister, 11, (IM, Fly, 100 Free, Free, Medley Relay, Free Relay);
BaiLee Hill, 12, (Free Relay);
Angelina Tilley, 12, (Free Relay);
Darien Apuron, 13, (Fly, Back, Medley Relay, Free Relay);
Gianna Sweeney, 13, (IM, Breast, 100 Free, Free, Medley Relay, Free Relay);
Nate Fister, 11, (IM, Fly, 100 Free, Free, Free Relay);
Jayden Smith, 12, (Free Relay);
Andres Valenzuela, 12, (Free Relay);
Jessi Rice, 13, (IM, Medley Relay);
Gillian Cole, 13, (Fly, Breast, Medley Relay, Free Relay);
Bonnie Bridges, 13, (Free Relay);
Raya Woods, 14, (Medley Relay);
Brianna Galarza, 14, (Free Relay);
Michael Primero, 14, (Free Relay);
Will Newman, 14, (IM, Fly, Back, 100 Free, Breast, Free, Free Relay);
Angela Navarro, 15, (Free, Medley Relay, Free Relay);
Jazelle Sanchez, 17, (Fly, Medley Relay);
Megan Garcia, 18, (Back, Medley Relay);
Amara Apuron, 18, (100 Free, Medley Relay);
Jacob Christian, 15, (Medley Relay, Free Relay);
Colbey Stratton, 15, (IM, Fly, 100 Free, Free, Medley Relay);
Taylor Woods, 16, (Back, 100 Free, Free Relay);
Michael Sanchez, 16, (Free Relay);
Timothy Mulholland, 17, (Breast, Medley Relay).
This was the first swim meet for several new swimmers on the team. Cooper Dale (6), Mia Dale (9), Andy Rodriguez (9), Maricella Guisa (6), Tony Guisa (9), Jonathon Guisa (10), and Desirae Guisa (12) all competed for the first time. Everyone worked hard and swam their best.
This week Emerik Zovko was named Sea Lions Beast of the Week. Emerick swam all the events, had all the best times, and dropped huge amounts of time in every race. Emerik recently moved to a more advanced practice group and has been swimming significantly more yards every day. As an 8-year-old swimmer on a team full of great 8-year-old swimmers, Emerik finished a very close second in the Breaststroke and was part of the winning Medley Relay and Freestyle Relay teams.
The Sea Lions next meet will be against Coolidge on Saturday, June 28 at the San Manuel Pool beginning at 9 a.m. This should be an exciting meet, as the Dolphins have an excellent swim team and will also be swimming to remain undefeated this season.
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 and 6 p.m. (Mon-Fri) for more information.
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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