Special to the Free Lance
San Benito Aquatics attended the long course meet at the University of California, Santa Cruz hosted by Santa Cruz County Aquatics last weekend.
Twenty-four SBA swimmers ages 6-18 competed in the event. There were 477 swimmers from Livermore to Carmel scheduled to swim.
SBA swimmers had strong performances in the 50-meter pool even though they practice in a 25-yard pool.
Not only did most swimmers improve their individual times, but many swimmers set new San Benito Aquatics’ records.
By the end of the weekend, the combined time improvement for the team was 60 percent. Coaches Cathy Larson and Christine Schafer were very happy with the performance of their swimmers.
In the ‘A’ Division:
Tanner Carrillo-Zazuetta, 10, swam a new AA time in the 50 free (36.70) and improved his times in the 200 free (3:05.67) and the 50 fly (41.72).
Blane Curtice, 14, set six new SBA records and placed first in every race. He received a new personal record time in the 200 IM (2:27.80), two new ‘Q’ times for the 100 free (59.63) and the 400 free (4:40.09) and time improvements in the 100 breast (1:17.37), 50 free (27.30) and 100 fly (1:08.02).
Hillary Ego, 12, improved her times in the 50 breast (47.65) and the 100 free (1:18.25).
Stephanie Ego, 8, placed fourth in the 100 free (1:38.79), third place in the 50 breast (57.37) and fifth place in the 50 fly (51.64).
Demi Gatrell, 11, placed fifth and received a new ‘AA’ time of 31.91 in the 50 free. Gatrell placed fourth in the 50 back (38.79) and the 100 back (1:24.88), eight in the 200 free (2:39.44) and improved his time in the 50 fly (37.88), the 50 breast (43.62) and the 100 free (1:13.55).
Shelli Reed, 12, placed first in five individual events and set three new SBA records. She received a new ‘Q’ time in the 100 free (1:06.07), improved her time in the 50 fly (32.64) and placed second with a new ‘AA’ time in the 50 breast (41.59).
Christian Smith, 18, set four new SBA records and placed first in three individual events – the 100 fly (1:05.90), the 50 free (26.14) and the 200 IM (2:29.36). He had second-place finishes in the 100 free (58.70), 200 free (2:12.65) and 100 back (1:09.33) with a new ‘AA’.
David Smith, 16, set three new SBA records and placed first in the 200 free (2:15.71) and the 100 back (1:11.11) with a new ‘AA’ time. He was second in the 50 free (27.22) and the 200 IM (2:32.18) and third with a new ‘AA’ in the 100 free (1:00.15).
Joel Smith, 16, placed second in the 400 free (5:13.15), third in the 100 breast (1:25.99), fourth in the 100 fly (1:16.48), sixth in the 100 free (1:05.00) and seventh in the 50 free (29.57).
In the B and C Divisions:
Nicole Amstutz, 13, improved her 100 free (1:36.24) and placed fifth in the 50 free (41.22).
Nick Angulo, 10, had two second-place finishes in the 50 free with a new ‘A’ time (41.92) and in the 50 back (53.43) and finished seventh in the 50 breast (1:01.89).
Forrest Ego, 6, placed third in the 100 free (2:14.56) and a fifth place in the 50 breast (1:15.32).
Lacee Johnson, 12, received three third place finishes in the 50 free (35.52), 200 free (3:01.20) and 50 breast (48.82) and a fifth place in the 100 free (1:23.39).
Leighann Johnson, 15, placed third in the 50 free (34.91).
Haley Larson, 7, placed fourth in the 50 free (50.16) and fifth in the 50 back (1:05.78).
Kelsey Larson, 12, placed first in the 50 back (43.73), fourth in the 200 free (3:01.46) and sixth place in the 50 fly (47.90).
Lacey Larson, 13, placed second in the 100 free (1:18.30) and the 200 free (2:49.47), third in the 100 breast (1:50.69) and sixth place in the 100 fly (2:09.18).
Jesse Richards, 11, placed eight in the 100 back (1:47.28).
Kaiya Richards, 8, placed fourth in the 50 breast (1:03.75) and the 50 fly (1:14.63), she placed fifth in the 100 free (2:02.64).
Caitlin Schafer, 8, placed first in the 50 breast with a new A time of 1:01.45 and a second place in the 50 fly 1:03.84.
James Schafer, 15, placed first in the in the 100 back (1:28.87) and the 50 free (33.22).
Jordan Schafer, 12, placed fourth in the 100 back (1:40.21).
Josh Schafer, 10, placed first in the 50 breast with a new ‘A’ time of (53.19) and fifth in the 50 fly (55.32).
Hannah Smith, 10, placed second in the 100 free (1:39.20) and fifth in the 50 breast (1:01.34) and 50 fly (57.45).
Relay teams:
The girls 11-12 200 medley relay (Gatrell, Ego, Johnson, Reed) placed second with a time of 2:39.16.
The boys 13-18 200 free relay, (D. Smith, J. Smith, Curtice, C. Smith) placed first with a time of 1:51.50.
The girls 11-12 200 free relay team (Gatrell, Ego, Johnson, Reed) took second place with a time of 2:13.85.
The girls 10 and under relay team (Smith, Richards, Schafer, Ego) placed sixth with a time of 3:13.89 in the 200 free relay.
The boys 10 and under relay team (Angulo, Ego, Richards, Carrillo-Zazuetta) placed sixth in the 200 free relay with a time of 3:03.68.
