Swimmers from the San Benito Aquatics didn’t place as high as
they would have wished, but most of the Dragons’ 66 swimmers
improved on past scores to place 9th out of 10 teams in the Coast
Valley Aquatics League Championships at University California Santa
Cruz from Aug. 5 through Aug. 7.
Swimmers from the San Benito Aquatics didn’t place as high as they would have wished, but most of the Dragons’ 66 swimmers improved on past scores to place 9th out of 10 teams in the Coast Valley Aquatics League Championships at University California Santa Cruz from Aug. 5 through Aug. 7.
With nearly 40 fewer swimmers than most of the teams at the meet, San Benito Aquatics did not participate in a majority of the four-person relays – which were worth double points – forcing the swimmers down in the standings, coach Cathy Larson said. Regardless, San Benito Aquatics had a swimmer finish in the top 16 – which is point worthy – in all of the individual divisions.
“This is the beginning of a huge upswing for the club,” Larson said.
And to continue that, Larson hopes the move from the outdoor pool of San Benito High to the indoor pool of Rovella’s Gym will allow more people to become involved, she said. With a roof over their heads, the club is not expected to lose its swimmers once the season gets cold.
“We always lose some because of the weather,” Larson said. “That shouldn’t happen this year.”
Regardless, without the weather interfering, more people are able to swim at Rovella’s, she said.
“We are all getting in more practice and it’s showing,” Larson said.
And in the fourth meet of the year, it did for the aquatics, who have members ranging from 5 years old to 18.
Competing against clubs from Santa Clara and Monterey counties, San Benito is at a swimmer disadvantage – but the Dragons still hold their own.
“We are always improving,” Larson said.
At the league championships, San Benito was led by Alex Dones, who took 6th place in the 100 meter backstroke, and Jessie Drogmuller, who scored points in four swims. Overall, San Benito scored points in 85 races at the meet.
Alex Vargas also swam well for San Benito, placing in all six of her events with individual best scores.
Other San Benito swimmers who landed in the top eight of their individual events were Elizabeth Flemming, Bernadette Forbush, Andrew Harwood, Michaela Krulee, Haley Larson ad Autumn Salinas.
Six-year-olds Maddie Corrigan and Coley Corrigan, who are twins, placed in every event for their age group. Swimmers Drogmuller, Steven Rios, Randy Thomas and Alex Drones also placed in every race.
As a whole, 33 San Benito swimmers improved their time to move into a a higher, and faster category, Larson said. Five swimmers placed Junior Olympic times over the weekend.
More than 650 swimmers participated in the three-day meet, which each person competing in six different events.
