Heavy rain and cold temperatures made their presence felt during
last Friday’s dual meet between San Benito and visiting Gilroy, and
times among swimmers from both teams were down as a result.
Although San Benito took the dual meet in both divisions, earning a
129-32 victory on the boys’ side and a 107-59 victory on the girls’
side, there was only one Central Coast Section qualifying time
recorded
— one week after the two teams combined for nine CCS-qualifying
times against their respective opponents.
HOLLISTER
Heavy rain and cold temperatures made their presence felt during last Friday’s dual meet between San Benito and visiting Gilroy, and times among swimmers from both teams were down as a result.
Although San Benito took the dual meet in both divisions, earning a 129-32 victory on the boys’ side and a 107-59 victory on the girls’ side, there was only one Central Coast Section qualifying time recorded — one week after the two teams combined for nine CCS-qualifying times against their respective opponents.
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Both coaches felt the wind, rain and low temperatures had a noticeable affect on the swimmers and their respective times.
“It was freezing. We had no shelter and nowhere to be warm,” San Benito head coach Christine Schafer said after the meet.
“It was freezing cold, windy. The water was cold,” Gilroy head coach Tom Clark added.
Still, the San Benito and Gilroy swimmers competed on a day when just about every other outdoor sporting event was cancelled.
The lone CCS time was from Baler Czsarina Isleta, who clocked a 1:02.64 in the 100 fly, narrowly making the cut of 1:03.19.
Otherwise, Friday’s rainy meet was filled with plenty of near-misses.
“Hopefully, we don’t have to run too many more meets like this,” Schafer said.
Baler Quinn Six, who previously qualified to CCS in both the 50 free and 200 IM, finished first in the 100 breast Friday in 1:05.94, edging Gilroy’s Brian Pribyl (1.06.3), but falling just short of the CCS qualifying time of 1:05.39.
“It was the best race of the whole meet,” Clark said of the 100 breast between Six and Pribyl.
Six had another near-miss in the 100 free as well, though, when he posted a first-place time of 50.79, but again narrowly missed the CCS cut of 50.39.
“Their boys’ team is very good and it pushes our team, which is nice,” Schafer said. “But it was just too cold.”
Gilroy was without any CCS times, where as in its previous meet against Everett Alvarez, it had a total of five.
Mustang Michelle Shields was a double-winner during Friday’s meet, though, as she took first place in both the 50 free and 100 free.
San Benito will look to rebound on Friday when it will host North Salinas at 3:30 p.m.
