Blane Curtice is high-point winner for the 15-16 age group with
three first place and two second place finishes
Morgan Hill – Blane Curtice was one of several members of the San Benito Aquatics swim team to have stellar performances in last weekend’s Coast Valley Aquatics League Championships at the Morgan Hill Aquatics center.
Curtice was crowned the high-points winner for the 15-16 year-old age group with his three first place finishes to go along with a pair of second place showings.
Curtice’s first place races were the 200 IM with a time of 2:03.58, the 100 breast with a time of 1:03.87 and the 100 fly with a mark of 55.98. curtice took second in the 50 free and posted a new Far West time of 50.33 in the 100 free.
Shelli Reed also had a big weekend in the pool, taking first place in the 50 free with a time of 25.74 to go along with second-place finishes in the 100 back, the 100 free and the 100 fly.
“It was a good weekend for us,” said SBA coach Cathy Larson. “As a team, compared to the last time we swam about a month or so ago, we averaged about 60-70 percent improvement in our times.”
San Benito Aquatics was also the only team to have swimmers compete in the eight-and-under 200 free. Michelle Brunido took first with a time of 3:29.75 while teammate Gracie Larson finished second with a 3:46.44.
“They were the only swimmers that young who competed in the distance events,” Larson said. “And those times were pretty impressive.”
Other top SBA finishers from the Morgan Hill event included a first place for Rory Bloch in the 50 free and second-place finishes for Dave Smith in the 100 fly and the 100 back.
Demi Gatrell took second in the 100 breast and lauren Klauer had third-place finishes in the 25 breast as well as the 25 fly to go along with her fourth-place showing in the 100 IM.
“Everybody did fabulous,” Larson said of her team’s performance at the CVAL Championships. “They all improved on their times and that’s what we wanted to see. We also had some amazing relays. The girls’ 13-14 relay swam their absolute best time ever but, since it’s not an individual event, it wasn’t recorded this time.”
