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Sea Lions record breakers. Photo courtesy Apuron Photography

  The Tri-Community Sea Lions won its 10th consecutive League championship and boy, are we proud of them!

  The Central Arizona League Championship Swim Meet was held at the Florence Aquatic Center on Saturday, July 23.  The overall team scores were as follows:

• 1^st place, Sea Lions with 1060 points

• 2^nd place, Coolidge Dolphins with 884 points

• 3^rd place, Parkside Piranhas with 580 points

• 4^th place, San Tan Valley Barracudas with 491 points

• 5^th place, Globe Piranhas with 403 points

• 6^th place, Florence Sharks with 46 points

  In the championship meet format, each swimmer is limited to 3 individual events and 2 relays.   The following Sea Lion Swimmers won all five of the races that they swam:   Anya Zovko, Mason Stewart, Tabitha Kellam, Riley Stewart, and Evan Apuron.

  Sea Lion Swimmers broke 15 League Championship Meet Records. Since the championship brings the best swimmers from all the teams in the league, it is a tremendous achievement to break a Championship Meet Record.  Sea Lion Swimmers who set new Championship Meet Records include:  Anya Zovko, Johnny Smallhouse, Joey Castellanos, Mason Stewart, Ethan Kellam, Emerik Zovko, Ben Fister, Tabitha Kellam, AJ Lopez, Evan Apuron, Riley Stewart, Darien Apuron, and Colbey Stratton.

  Several Swimmers also broke 11 Sea Lion Team records at the meet.  Anya Zovko, Johnny Smallhouse, Joey Castellanos, Mason Stewart, Ethan Kellam, Emerik Zovko, Ben Fister, Tabitha Kellam, AJ Lopez, Evan Apuron, Riley Stewart, Darien Apuron, and Colbey Stratton all set new team records at the championship meet.

  One of the anticipated races at the meet was the 8 and Under Girls 25 yard Backstroke.  Anya Zovko from Sea Lions and Ophelia Pisano from Coolidge both had hopes of winning and breaking one of the oldest League Championship Record on the books (22.02 seconds – S. Arellano from Maricopa in 2005).  Ophelia had a great start and took the early lead, but by midway Anya cruised past her picking up speed with every stroke and hit the wall first with a sizzling time of 19.92. Anya’s time also set a new team record, breaking the record previously held by Arielle Gray (2007). 

  With six teams, any finish in the top 8 places is an impressive achievement.  Every Sea Lion that participated in the meet had at least one top 8 finish.  The Sea Lion top 8 finishes in their age groups at the Championship were:

Annie Nemans, 5, (4^th Fly, 4^th Back, 5^th Free, 6^th Medley Relay, 6^th Free Relay);

Jocelyn Hudson, 6, (5^th Fly, 2^nd Back, 3^rd Breast, 6^th Medley Relay, 6^th Free Relay);

Kayla Lambiotte, 7, (3^rd IM, 3^rd Back, 2^nd Breast, 1^st Medley Relay, 1^st Free Relay);

Malik Blackwell, 7, (4^th Fly, 6^th Back, 8^th Free, 1^st Medley Relay, 4^th Free Relay);

Anya Zovko, 8, (1^st IM, 1^st Back, 1^st 50 Free, 1^st Medley Relay, 1^st Free Relay);

Jessica Rouse, 8, (4^th Fly, 3^rd 50 Free, 2^nd Free, 1^st Medley Relay, 1^st Free Relay);

Cooper Dale, 8, (2^nd IM, 2^nd 50 Free, 1^st Breast, 1^st Medley Relay, 4^th Free Relay);

Julie Ramirez, 9, (8^th IM, 3^rd Fly, 1^st 100 Free, 2^nd Medley Relay, 4^th Free Relay);

Yasamin Jimenez, 9, (4^th Free Relay);

Martin Madrid, 9, (2^nd Medley Relay, 2^nd Free Relay);

John Smallhouse, 9, (3^rd IM, 2^nd 100 Free, 1^st Free, 1^st Medley Relay, 1^st  Free Relay);

Nevaeh Derrick, 10, (3^rd IM, 1^st Fly, 1^st Free, 2^nd Medley Relay, 4^th Free Relay);

Joey Castellanos, 10, (2^nd Back, 3^rd 100 Free, 3^rd Free, 1^st Medley Relay, 2^nd Free Relay);

Vicente Curry, 10, (7^th Fly, 4^th Breast, 6^th Free, 2^nd Medley Relay, 2^nd Free Relay);

Ethan Kellam, 10, (2^nd IM, 1^st Back, 1^st 100 Free, 1^st Medley Relay, 1^st Free Relay);

Mason Stewart, 10, (1^st IM, 1^st Fly, 1^st Breast, 1^st Medley Relay, 1^st Free Relay);

Rocky Andrade, 11, (2^nd Fly, 4^th 100 Free, 5^th Free, 2^nd Medley Relay, 2^nd Free Relay);

Emerik Zovoko, 11, (3^rd Fly,  2^nd Breast, 2^nd Free, 2^nd Medley Relay, 1^st Free Relay);

Ben Fister, 11, (2^nd Fly, 2^nd 100 Free, 3^rd 50 Free, 1^st Medley Relay, 1^st Free Relay);

Robert Sanz-Anton, 11, (4^th IM, 6^th Back, 6^th Breast, 3^rd Medley Relay, 4^th Free Relay);

Briana Castellanos, 11, (3^rd IM, 2^nd 100 Free, 1^st Free, 1^st Medley Relay, 2^nd Free Relay);

Mia Dale, 11, (4^th Fly, 5^th Back 6^th Breast, 4^th Medley Relay, 1^st Free Relay);

Ashlee Parker, 11, (3^rd Back, 5^th Breast, 7^th Free, 4^th Medley Relay, 2^nd Free Relay);

Rianna Estrada, 12, (4^th IM, 2^nd Fly, 1^st Breast, 1^st Medley Relay, 2^nd Free Relay);

Tabitha Kellam, 12, (1^st IM, 1^st Fly, 1^st 100 Free, 1^st Free Relay, 1^st Medley Relay);

AJ Lopez, 12, (3^rd Fly, 3^rd 100 Free, 5^th 50 Free, 1^st Medley Relay, 1^st Free Relay);

Riley Stewart, 12, (1^st 100 Free, 1^st Breast, 1^st 50 Free, 1^st Medley Relay, 1^st Free Relay);

Hunter Hill, 12, (3^rd IM, 5^th Back, 5^th Breast, 3^rd Medley Relay, 4^th Free Relay);

Hannah Smallhouse, 12, (1^st Back, 5^th 100 Free, 5^th Free, 1^st Medley Relay, 1^st Free Relay);

Evan Apuron, 13, (1^st IM, 1^st Fly, 1^st Back, 1^st Medley Relay, 1^st Free Relay);

Aubrey Bridges, 13, (4^th Medley Relay, 5^th Free Relay);

Ann Marie Campbell, 13, (4^th Medley Relay, 5^th Free Relay);

Star Chavez, 13, (2^nd IM, 3^rd Fly, 1^st Breast, 1^st Medley Relay, 1^st Free Relay);

Nate Fister, 13, (2^nd Fly, 2^nd 100 Free, 2^nd 50 Free, 1^st Medley Relay, 1^st Free Relay);

BaiLee Hill, 14, (5^th Back, 1^st Medley Relay, 5^th Free Relay);

Kayla Parker, 14, (6^th Fly, 8^th 100 Free, 7^th Free, 1^st Medley Relay, 1^st Free Relay);

Andres Valenzuela, 14, (2^nd IM, 2^nd Back, 2^nd Breast, 1^st Medley Relay, 1^st Free Relay);

Darien Apuron, 15, (1^st IM, 1^st Back, 2^nd Free, 1^st Free Relay, 1^st Medley Relay);

Bonnie Bridges, 15, (3^rd IM, 5^th Fly, 5^th Breast, 4^th Medley Relay, 4^th Free Relay);

Jessi Rice, 16, (4^th Back, 4^th 100 Free, 1^st Free, 4^th Medley Relay, 4^th Free Relay);

Colbey Stratton, 17, (1^st Fly, 1^st 100 Free, 1^st  Free, 3^rd Medley Relay, 4^th Free Relay).

  Evan Apuron was named Sea Lion Beast of the Week.  Evan won all five of his races at the meet.  At Evan’s request, he was entered in his weakest event, the 50 Backstroke, in hopes of getting one more chance at the only team record in his age group that he did not hold.  His Beastly performance at the meet led to Evan achieving 5 new team records in 5 races, including the 50 Backstroke, and 5 of the League Championship Meet records.   

  The Sea Lions Swim Team is finished with competition in the Central Arizona Swim League for the summer season, but will compete in several open meets over the next few months.  There is still time to join the team – contact Alex or Wendy Gort at 896-2190, stop by the Mammoth Pool between 4 and 6 p.m. (Monday-Friday), or check sealionsswimteam.com for more information.

Staff (5796 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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