Sea Lions win eighth straight championship

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The Sea Lions celebrate their win by dumping ice water over their coach’s head. Jeanine Apuron | Sea Lions

The Sea Lions swim team hosted the Central Arizona League Championship Swim Meet on Saturday at the San Manuel Swimming Pool. The overall team scores were as follows:

First place – San Manuel Sea Lions 1273 points

Second place – Coolidge Dolphins 978.5 points

Third place – Parkside Piranhas 493 points

Fourth place – Globe Piranhas 270 points

Fifth place – Eloy Otters 164 points

Sixth place – San Tan Valley Barracudas 124 points

Seventh place – Florence Sharks 121.5 points

This is the eighth 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, Darien Apuron, Gianna Sweeney, Nate Fister and Taylor Woods.

Sea Lion Swimmers broke 20 league championship records. Since the league championship meet brings the best swimmers in the Central Arizona Swim League at their peak, it is a giant achievement to break a meet record. Some holders of these records have gone on to become state champions in age group or high school swimming. Sea Lion Swimmers who set new championship meet records include: Ethan Kellam, Rocky Andrade, Joey Castellanos, Mason Stewart, Emerik Zovko, Evan Apuron, Riley Stewart, Ben Fister, AJ Lopez, Gianna Sweeney, Darien Apuron, and Will Newman.

Several swimmers also broke Sea Lion Team records at the meet. Evan Apuron, Darien Apuron, Gianna Sweeney, Will Newman, and Amara Apuron all set new team records at the meet.

Medals were awarded for the top three finishers in each event. Out of the 88 events, Sea Lions swimmers came home with 50 gold medals, 28 silver medals, and 29 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.

Anya Zovko, 6, (third Fly, third Back, third Free, first Medley Relay, first Free Relay);

Mari Guisa, 6, (seventh Fly, sixth Back, third Breast, fifth Medley Relay, fifth Free Relay);

Cooper Dale, 6, (fifth Fly, second Back, fifth Breast);

Ebony Galarza, 7, (sixth Fly, fifth Back, seventh Breast, fifth Medley Relay, fifth Free Relay);

John Smallhouse, 7, (eighth Free, fourth Medley Relay, fourth Free Relay):

Mia Christian, 7, (fifth Fly, seventh Free, fifth Medley Relay, fifth Free Relay);

Drew Lavato, 7, (fourth Medley Relay, fourth Free Relay);

Rocky Andrade, 9, (third IM, first Fly, first 50 Free, first Medley Relay, first Free Relay);

Joey Castellanos, 8, (third Back, fourth 50 Free, second Free, first Medley Relay, first Free Relay);

Conner Dadow, 8, (seventh Back, eighth Breast, fourth Medley Relay, fourth Free Relay)

Nevaeh Derrick, 8, (first IM, first Fly, second Free, first Medley Relay, first Free Relay);

Ethan Kellam, 8, (second Fly, third 50 Free, first Free, fourth Medley Relay, first Free Relay);

Malayah Renteria, 8, (second IM, first Back, third 50 Free, first Medley Relay, first Free Relay);

Mason Stewart, 8, (second IM, first Back, first Breast, first Medley Relay, first Free Relay);

Emerik Zovoko, 8, (fourth IM, sixth 50 Free, second Breast, first Medley Relay, fourth Free Relay);

Briana Castellanos, 9, (fourth IM, second Back, third 100 Free, first Medley Relay, first Free Relay);

Mia Dale, 9, (sixth Fly, seventh Back, fifth Breast, third Free Relay);

Ben Fister, 9, (sixth Back, seventh 100 Free, seventh Free, first Medley Relay, first Free Relay);

Tony Guisa, 9, (fifth Medley Relay, fifth Free Relay);

Brian Mullens, 9, (fifth Medley Relay, fifth Free Relay);

Eli Tilley, 9, (eighth IM, fifth Medley Relay, fifth Free Relay);

Desiree Galarza, 9, (sixth Breast, third Free Relay);

Genevieve Estrada, 10, (third IM, second Fly, fourth 100 Free, first Medley Relay, first Free Relay);

Rianna Estrada, 10, (second IM, fourth Fly, fourth Breast, first Medley Relay, first Free Relay);

Tabitha Kellam, 10, (first Back, first 100 Free, first Free, first Free Relay, first Medley Relay);

Riley Stewart, 10, (first IM, second 100 Free, first Breast, first Medley Relay, first Free Relay);

Hunter Hill, 10, (fourth Back, fourth 100 Free, fifth Free fourth Medley Relay, third Free Relay);

Hannah Smallhouse, 10, (seventh IM, fifth Back, eighth Free, third Free Relay);

AJ Lopez, 10, (fourth IM, third Fly, fourth Free, first Medley Relay, first Free Relay);

Evan Apuron, 11, (first Fly, first 100 Free, first Free, first Medley Relay, first Free Relay);

Aubrey Bridges, 11, (sixth Fly, fourth Medley Relay, third Free Relay);

Star Chavez, 11, (third IM, third Fly, second Breast, first Medley Relay, first Free Relay);

Angelina Tilley, 11, (fourth IM, third Back, seventh Free, first Medley Relay, first Free Relay);

Alicia Galarza, 11, (fifth Back, fourth 100 Free, fourth Free, fourth Medley Relay, second Free Relay);

Nate Fister, 11, (first Fly, first 100 Free, first 50 Free, first Medley Relay, first Free Relay);

Jimmie Madrid, 11, (third Medley Relay, fifth Free Relay);

Garry Dadow, 12, (seventh 100 Free, first Medley Relay, fifth Free Relay);

Desirae Guisa, 12, (seventh Fly, eighth Free, fourth Medley Relay, third Free Relay);

BaiLee Hill, 12, (sixth IM, seventh Back, fourth Medley Relay, third Free Relay);

Jayden Smith, 12, (third Fly, seventh 100 Free, sixth Free, first Medley Relay, first Free Relay);

Andres Valenzuela, 12, (second IM, fifth Back, fifth 100 Free, first Medley Relay, first Free Relay);

Gianna Sweeney, 13, (first IM, first 100 Free, first Breast, first Medley Relay, first Free Relay);

Darien Apuron, 13, (first Fly, first Back, first Free, first Free Relay, first Medley Relay);

Bonnie Bridges, 13, (sixth IM, seventh Back, fifth Medley Relay, fifth Free Relay);

Gillian Cole, 13, (second IM, first Fly, second Breast, second Medley Relay, second Free Relay);

Jessi Rice, 13, (third Back, fifth Free, third Free, second Medley Relay, second Free Relay);

Jasmine Smith, 14, (third Fly, seventh 100 Free, sixth Free, fifth Medley Relay, fifth Free Relay);

Michael Predgo, 13, (third Fly, second 100 Free, fourth Free, third Medley Relay, first Free Relay);

Brianna Galarza, 14, (fifth Medley Relay, fifth Free Relay);

Antonio Darame, 14, (fourth 100 Free, seventh Free, third Medley Relay, first Free Relay);

Raya Woods, 14, (fourth Back, third 100 Free, second Free, second Medley Relay, second Free Relay);

Will Newman, 14, (first IM, first Back, first Breast, third Medley Relay, first Free Relay);

Angela Navarro, 15, (second 100 Free, third Free, second Medley Relay, second Free Relay);

Jacob Christian, 15, (second Back, second 100 Free, third Free, first Medley Relay, first Free Relay)

Taylor Woods, 16, (first IM, first Fly, first Back, first Medley Relay, first Free Relay);

Alisha Smith, 15, (seventh Back, eighth Free, fifth Medley Relay)

Jazelle Sanchez, 16, (second Fly, third 100 Free, third Free, second Medley Relay, second Free Relay);

Timothy Mulholland, 17, (first 100 Free, third Breast, first Free, first Medley Relay, first Free Relay);

Amara Apuron, 18, (second IM, first Back, second Breast, second Medley Relay, second Free Relay);

Megan Garcia, 18, (fourth Back, fifth 100 Free, second Medley Relay).

Nate Fister was named Sea Lion Beast of the Week. Nate’s improvements at the meet were big enough to allow him to win every race he swam. Hard work this season has transitioned Nate to become the best 11-12 Boy at the Championship Meet. As an 11-year-old, his beastly performance showed that he is a force to reckoned with.

The Sea Lions Swim Team is finished with competition in the Central Arizona Swim League for the season, but will compete in several open meets over the next couple of months. The team is scheduled to host a USA Swimming Meet at the San Manuel pool on Aug. 23 and 24, 2014.

Staff (5795 Posts)

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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