With two events left in Saturday’s Tri-County Athletic League
boys swim meet at Live Oak High, Hollister High swimmer Nik Barr
suggested to Baler head coach Joel Sims that Sims could start
taking his shoes off.
MORGAN HILL – With two events left in Saturday’s Tri-County Athletic League boys swim meet at Live Oak High, Hollister High swimmer Nik Barr suggested to Baler head coach Joel Sims that Sims could start taking his shoes off.
The Balers had the school’s first-ever swim title in the bag and Barr was merely getting an early start on the traditional shove in the pool.
The water never felt so good for Sims, who was joyfully team-lifted into the water after his Balers had compiled 382 points to seecond place Gilroy’s 264.
“There were some great performances today,” said Sims, who is concluding his fourth year. “It was way above my expectations. Greg Henneman and Christian Smith swam great all day. Our 400-relay team dropped 15 seconds off its time. I had all these kids as freshmen. Henneman and Greg Wilson hadn’t even swam before their freshmen year. Now they’re beating all these swimmers who have been swimming since they were eight.”
Henneman put on a clinic in the short freestyles, clocking 22.01 in the 50-free and 48.55 in the 100-free for two smoking first places. Those are Central Coast Section bests for submitted times, though this is the time of year where times tend to drop.
“After years we finally won the team title,” said Henneman. “It was great to win it for coach Sims. He’s a great guy and a great coach.”
“Henneman could catch them napping at CCS,” said Sims. “And so could Christian.”
Smith, a junior, won the 500-free in 5:07.71 and was second in the 100-fly in 55.40. Both marks are CCS-qualifying times. He destroyed the field in the 500.
“I’ve been working hard and lifting weights,” said Smith. “I’ve been just trying to stay positive.”
Robbie Shattuck, another junior, added a first place in the 100-yard breaststroke. Shattuck’s 1:04.46 was well ahead of Live Oak’s Ryan Gautschi (1:05.77).
Two of the three Baler relay teams won, though one was thanks to a disqualification on Live Oak in the 200-free relay. The team of Zach Gautney, Wilson, Barr and Henneman clocked 1:33.4.
“Live Oak false-started twice on the 200-relay,” said Sims. “The time that they saved was what we would have beaten them by.”
The team of Smith, Wilson, Barr and Henneman sizzled in the 400-free relay with a time of 3:25.49.
“They should be able to drop down even more at CCS,” said Sims.
The Balers’ 200 medley relay team – Aaron Camacho, Shattuck, Smith and Gautney – was second with a time of 1:47.36.
Other highlights included Barr, who was second in the 200-yard free at 1:59.25, just missing out to Gilroy’s Lee Walton (1:59.05). Barr was third in the 100-back at 1:02.70. Wilson (53.07) was second in the 100-free, while Gautney (53.19) took third for a Baler sweep – totaling 43 points. Camacho placed second in the 100-back at 1:01.36.
The CCS swimming and diving championships take place Wednesday through Saturday at the Santa Clara Swim Center. The Balers have no entrants in the diving. The swimming prelims are on Friday with competition beginning at 11 a.m. The finals (top 8) and consolations (second 8) take place Saturday, beginning at 1 p.m.
Baler bits: Senior Danny Valenzuela was fifth in last Wednesday’s diving competition with a total of 267.80. Rick Ward was eighth at 152.80. –Â Live Oak finished third with 244 points, followed by Salinas (163) and Palma (12).
