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Raya Woods competes in the San Manuel swim meet. (Jeanine Apuron photo)
The San Manuel Sea Lions hosted the first swim meet of the 2013 season on Saturday at the San Manuel Swimming Pool against the Globe Piranhas. The Sea Lions won the meet with 1021 points, while Globe finished with 482 points.
In the Central Arizona Swimming League , the Sea Lions have won every swim meet over the past six years and hope to make a run at a seventh consecutive League Championship this summer.
The coaches were proud of how the team performed at the first meet.
Seven team records were broken on Saturday. Swimmers breaking team records Evan Apuron (9), Kayla Parker (11), Darien Apuron (12), Raquel Ortiz (12) and Gianna Sweeney (12).
Ethan Kellam (7) was the only swimmer to win all eight of his races during the meet.
The following swimmers had first place finishes on Saturday:
Malayah Renteria, 7, (Fly, Free Relay); Nevaeh Derrick, 7, (Free Relay); Ethan Kellam, 7, (IM, Fly, Back, 50 Free, Breast, Free, Medley Relay, Free Relay); Rocky Andrade, 7, ( Medley Relay, Free Relay); Joey Castellanos, 7, ( Medley Relay); Ben Fister, 8, ( Medley Relay, Free Relay); Ashlee Parker, 8, (Breast, Free, Free Relay); Kyla Jimenez, 8, (Free Relay); Tabitha Kellam, 9, (IM, Fly, Back, Breast, Free, 100 Free, Medley Relay); Genevieve Estrada, 9, (Medley Relay); Evan Apuron, 9, (IM, Fly, Back, Breast, Free, 50 Free, Medley Relay); Hunter Hill, 9, (Medley Relay); Mary Faith Ortiz, 10, (Medley Relay); Star Chavez, 10, (Medley Relay, Free Relay); Aubrey Bridges, 10, ( Free Relay); Vince Nguyen, 10, (Medley Relay); Nate Fister, 10, (Medley Relay);
Kayla Parker, 11,(Medley Relay, Free Relay); BaiLee Hill, 11, (Free Relay); Darien Apuron, 12, (Back, Fly, Medley Relay, Free Relay); Gianna Sweeney, 12, (IM, Breast, 100 Free, Free, Medley Relay, Free Relay); Raquel Ortiz, 12, (Medley Relay, Free Relay); Bonnie Bridges, 12, (Free Relay); Raya Woods, 13, (IM, Fly, Back, 100 Free, Breast, Free, Free Relay); Michael Garcia, 14, (Medley Relay, Free Relay); Jacob Christian, 14, ( Medley Relay); Colbey Stratton, 14, ( IM, Fly, Back, 100 Free, Breast, Free, Medley Relay); Fernanda Vasquez, 15, (Free Relay); Michael Sanchez, 15, (IM, Back, Medley Relay, Free Relay); Armanda Noriega, 15, (Fly, Medley Relay, Free Relay); Taylor Woods, 15, (Medley Relay); Timothy Mulholland, 16, (100 Free, Breast, Free, Medley Relay, Free Relay); Megan Garcia, 16, (Free Relay); Jazelle Sanchez, 16, (Free Relay); Amara Apuron, 17, (IM, Fly, Back 100 Free, Breast, Free, Free Relay).
This was the first swim meet for many swimmers on the team and they performed extremely well and had lots of fun! Listed below are swimmers who competed in their first swim meet as a Sea Lion on Saturday:
Anya Zovko (5), Ebony Galarza (6), John Smallhouse (6), Joey Castellanos (7), Conner Dadow (7), Italie Stumpf (8), Briana Castellanos (8), Leah Castillo (8), Desiree Galarza (8), Robert Sanz-Anton (8), Hannah Smallhouse (9), Rianna Estrada (9), Alicia Galarza (10), and Vince Nguyen (10).
Raya Woods was named Sea Lion Beast of the Week. As a 13-year-old, Raya competes in a tough age group in the longer events. Not only did Raya swim every event at the meet, which included the tough 200 IM and 100 Butterfly, she also swam two legs of both the Medley and Free Relays. Raya raced more yards than any other swimmer at the meet and finished first in every individual race, all while keeping a smile on her face.
The Sea Lions will put their six year winning streak on the line as they host Coolidge Dolphins at the San Manuel Pool on Saturday June 15 (9:00 am). If the past is any indicator, Coolidge is the team with the best chance to beat the Sea Lions this summer, and the meet is expected to be very close.
There is still time to join the team. Contact Jeanine Apuron @ 385-9854 or stop by the San Manuel Pool between 4:30 and 6:00 p.m. Monday through Friday for more information.
Vince Nguyen, 10, swims the 50 freestyle. (Maya Gort photo)
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