Turlock High’s boys and girls swim teams earned first-place finishes at the Central California Athletic League Championships on Friday at the Pitman High pool.
The boys amassed 515 points, 134 points ahead of second-place Enochs (381). Pitman was third with 334 points, ahead of Doweny (230), Gregori (211) and Modesto (31).
The girls totaled 519 points, 116 points better than second-place Enochs (403). Pitman was third with 283, Gregori was fourth with 224, Downey was fifth with 214 and Modesto finished last with 25 points.
“It was a pretty good finish for us,” said THS boys coach Zach Glidden. “Everybody worked pretty hard this season and worked hard as a team to put this together. Everybody is pretty much where they need to be heading into the section meet.”
The Sac-Joaquin Section trials will be held May 3 (girls) and May 4 (boys) at the Elk Grove Aquatic Center. The finals will be May 5.
Individually for Turlock High’s boys, Cohen Harris was a double winner, taking firsts in the 200 individual medley (2 minutes, 10.31 seconds) and 100 backstroke (1:01.91).
“I’m very hard on myself,” said Harris, who was more than 12 seconds faster than his nearest competitor in the IM and nearly six seconds better than the runner-up in the backstroke. “When it comes to practice, I definitely push myself a lot harder so when it comes times to race, I’m prepared and able to push myself. I learned when I was a lot younger that it’s not so much racing the people around you, it’s more about racing your time. So, I’m comfortable in races where I have a controlled lead.”
Rick VanderVeen was a double winner for Pitman’s boys, taking firsts in the 500 freestyle (5:09.40) and 100 backstroke (1:01.96).
For the THS girls, Kaylee Amarant not only earned a pair of first-place finishes, she also broke her standing CCAL records.
Amarant was first in the 200 free with a clocking of 1:58.28, eclipsing her old record of 2:00.03, set the previous day during the trials. Amarant led a 1-2-3 Turlock sweep of the race, ahead of Keelei Rocha-Long (2:17.17) and Reese Thomas (2:18.15).
Amarant’s other victory came in the 100 freestyle. Her time of 54.58 broke her own standard of 55.13, also set the previous day during the trials. Amarant outpaced Pitman’s Megan Hall (58.14). They were the only swimmers in the field to eclipse the 60-second mark.
Hall did manage a victory in the 50 free (26.03), outkicking Turlock’s Lia Romeo (26.94).
Another double-winner for the Bulldogs was Abby Braley, who triumphed in the 100 butterfly with a time of 1:06.56 (she owns the league record at 1:04.11) and the 500 freestyle in 5:50.22.
Pitman High’s other individual winner was Heidi Lancaster in the 100 backstroke (1:20.67). She finished ahead of Turlock’s Addie Stempson (1:22.30) and Mia Strohm (1:25.74).
In relay competition, Turlock’s boys foursome of Mitchell Clark, Sam Stempson, Henry Nitschke and Cooper Harris won the 400 free relay in 3:37.99, ahead of Pitman (3:38.91).
Turlock’s girls — Rocha-Long, Stepmson, Braley and Amarant — won the 200 free relay (1:46.45, a new CCAL record) and the 400 free relay (3:55.59), while Pitman (2:12.30) nipped Turlock (2:13.52) in the 200 medley relay.
“The majority of our girls bettered their times and surpassed their own expectations,” said THS girls coach Anne Cornell. “I’m so proud of every kid on that team. It was a great year. Our JV girls were also undefeated. So, all the hard work paid off. It was a great meet.”
