The San Benito Aquatics Sea Dragons finished eighth in the Coast
Valley Aquatics League Finals last weekend at the Morgan Hill
Aquatics Center.
The San Benito Aquatics Sea Dragons finished eighth in the Coast Valley Aquatics League Finals last weekend at the Morgan Hill Aquatics Center.
There were about 800 kids who competed from the nine leagues represented.
Most of the older boys on the team were competing in a tournament in Maui with the Morgan Hill Water Polo Club and were not able to compete in the finals.
“It is kind of good and bad,” said coach Christine Schafer. “They are doing so well, but you can’t be at two places at one time.”
The Sea Dragons were also without 12-year-old Shelli Reed, who had to leave after a day to compete with the Western Zone All-Star team in Redding. Reed qualified for the tournament this week after a strong finish in the Far Westerns at Independence High. Reed took first in both the 50-meter back and 100-meter backstroke. She placed in the top eight in seven of the eight long course events she competed in.
“She finished so high in so many things, it made her a very valuable choice,” Schafer said.
Even though the team didn’t finish as high as it could have last weekend, several individuals had strong performances. Sixty percent of the swimmers improved their times, Schafer said.
Reed and Troy Donovan set new personal record times. Donovan was the high point leader in the 8-and-under boys age group, and Forest Ego had the high points in the 6U category.
Demi Gatrell set a new ‘Q’ time in the 50 breast and also got a new time in the 100 IM. Kim Hulley set a new ‘AA’ time in the IM and in the 100 freestyle.
Those that recorded ‘A’ times were Nick Angulo (50 free and 50 back), Katie Buzzetta (100 back), Matti Donovan (25 free and 25 fly), Hillary Ego (100 free and 100 breast), Lacey Larson (500 free), Kaiya Richards (100 IM) and Josh Schafer (100 IM)
There were 13 swimmers who recorded new ‘B’ times.
“They were mostly by kids who just started swimming this summer,” Schafer said.
Perennial powerhouse Cabrillo Threshers defended their league title to once again win the CVAL championship.