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Mia Dale – Beast of the Week (Apuron Photography)
The Sea Lions Swim Team traveled to Florence to compete against the Florence Sharks at the Florence Aquatic Center. The Sea Lions won the meet with 1073 points while Florence finished with 59 points. Due to the size difference in the teams, the outcome of the meet was never in doubt.
The Sea Lions won 65 out of 68 events.
The meet was a good opportunity for the Sea Lions to swim in the competition Pool at the Florence Aquatic Center. That is the same pool that will host the Central Arizona League Championship Meet in July. The deep water and wave reducing gutter system keeps the water smooth, while the high starting blocks maximize the effect of the start (which is the fastest part of the race). Sea Lion Swimmers clocked over 100 personal best times at the meet and the relay times were spectacular.
Coach Alex was especially pleased with the relays “The times we were able to achieve in the relays were by the far the best all season,” he said.
Hunter Hill – 13-14 Boys record breaking relay
The 13-14 Boys Medley Relay Team of AJ Lopez, Evan Apuron, Riley Stewart and Hunter Hill broke the team record with a time of 1:58.65, eclipsing the old record of 1:59.07 set in 2017 by team of Lopez, Apuron, Stewart and (Nate) Fister.
Evan Apuron broke two team records that he previously held. His time of 23.49 in the 50 Free and 51.63 in the 100 Free are the fastest times by any Sea Lion ever in Summer League competition (previous fastest 24.20 and 53.24). Teammate Riley Stewart pushed him every stroke of both races and was also under the both previous records with times of 23.66 and 52.19.
Darien Apuron – 100 Butterfly Record (Apuron Photography)
Darien Apuron broke her own record in the 100 Butterfly with a time of 1:05.03 (previous record was 1:05.77).
Four Sea Lions Swimmers achieved personal best times in every event at the meet. Ethan Erickson (11), Israel Gonzalez (11), Joey Castellanos (12), Mia Dale (14) all swam the maximum number of events and earned personal best times in each one.
Nearly all the Sea Lions swam the maximum number of allowed events at the meet and faced very good competition from their teammates. Seven swimmers won the maximum number of the events at the meet. Jessica Rouse (10), Cooper Dale (10), Joey Castellanos (12), Tabitha Kellam (14), Evan Apuron (15), Darien Apuron (17) and Andres Valenzuela (16) each won all the events they swam at the meet.
The following swimmers had first place finishes on Saturday:
Damian Marquez, 6, (Fly, Breast, Free)
Annie Nemons, 7, (Breast, Medley Relay, Free Relay);
Jocelyn Hudson, 8, (IM, Fly, Back, 50 Free, Free, Medley Relay, Free Relay);
Cooper Dale, 10, (IM, Fly, Back, 100 Free, Breast, Free, Medley Relay, Free Relay);
Ethan Erickson, 11, (Medley Relay, Free Relay);
Athan Riekfoski, 10, (Medley Relay, Free Relay);
Jessica Rouse, 10, (IM, Fly, Back, 50 Free, Breast, Free, Medley Relay, Free Relay);
Julie Ramirez, 11, (IM, Fly, Back, 100 Free, Free, Medley Relay, Free Relay);
Arianna Ervin, 11, (Medley Relay, Free Relay);
Neveah Derrick, 12, (Breast, Medley Relay, Free Relay);
Johnny Smallhouse, 11, (Medley Relay);
Israel Gonzalez, 11, (Free Relay);
Joey Castellanos, 12, (IM, Fly, Back, 100 Free, Breast, Free, Medley Relay, Free Relay);
Vicente Curry, 12, (Free Relay);
Ethan Kellam, 12, (Medley Relay, Free Relay);
Mason Stewart, 12, (Medley Relay);
Briana Castellanos, 13, (Medley Relay, Free Relay);
Robert Sanz- Anton, 13, (Medley Relay, Free Relay);
Rianna Estrada, 14, (Medley Relay, Free Relay);
Tabitha Kellam, 14, (IM, Fly, Back, 100 Free, Breast, Free, Medley Relay, Free Relay);
Hannah Smallhouse, 14, (Medley Relay, Free Relay);
Hunter Hill, 14, (Medley Relay, Free Relay);
AJ Lopez, 14, (Medley Relay, Free Relay);
Riley Stewart, 14, (Medley Relay, Free Relay);
Evan Apuron, 15, (IM, Fly, Back, 100 Free, Breast, Free, Medley Relay, Free Relay);
Star Chavez, 15, (Medley Relay, Free Relay);
Andres Valenzuela, 16, (IM, Fly, Back, 100 Free, Breast, Free, Medley Relay, Free Relay);
BaiLee Hill, 16, (Medley Relay, Free Relay);
Darien Apuron, 17, (IM, Fly, Back, 100 Free, Breast, Free, Medley Relay, Free Relay);
Jessi Rice, 17, (Medley Relay, Free Relay).
Mia Dale was named Sea Lions Beast of the Week. She had solid week of practice and strength conditioning. Not only did she have best times in every event, her time improvements actually got bigger later in the meet, a sure sign that her hard work is paying off.
The Sea Lions host Parkside and San Tan Valley on Saturday June 30 at the Mammoth Pool.
There is still time to join the team – contact Alex or Wendy Gort at 896-2190 or stop by the Mammoth Pool between 4 and 5:30 p.m. (Monday through Friday) 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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