Raymundo Frasquillo File Photo/Gila Herald: Thaddeus Gray Jr. qualified provisionally for both the 100 freestyle and 200 individual medley in Chandler on Sept. 14. The returning junior’s times were seconds short of automatic state meet berths.
By Raymundo Frasquillo
CHANDLER – The object of swimming events is to get from point A to point B in the quickest possible time.
First-year Morenci swim head coach Dana Bayardo was all smiles as she reviewed official times for their initial meet. Several Wildcats were provisional state meet qualifiers in multiple events during the Chandler Wolves Classic Invitational on Sept. 14. Morenci entrants were neck-and-neck with a 41-team field.
Junior Thaddeus Gray Jr., the lone returning 2018 state meet participant, was just shy of an automatic state meet qualifying 100 freestyle (51.62) clocking with 51.81, placing 18th in the meet. His previous personal best was 51.38 to place 11th in the season-ending race last year. The provisional time is 59.90.
He also turned in a school and personal best 200 individual medley time of 2:21.29, surpassing his 2018 posting (2:27.50), but nearly 10 seconds short of an automatic state meet qualifying time (2:11.96). The provisional time is 2:31.03.
Two relay teams also placed, re-set school marks, and were provisional qualifiers. The 200 medley relay was 16th (1:52.74) and 200 freestyle relay 19th (1:42.13). Gray was the starter in both races and was joined by freshmen Tyler Lewis, Elijah Leyba, and Quinton Wiltbank. Provisional times are 2:04.35 (200 MR) and 1:53.51 (200 Free).
The previous bests were 2:16.24 (200 MR) for 18th of 24 in the 2018 regional meet and 1:56.29 (200 FR), with both including then sophomores Gray, Israel Bernal-Diaz, Jazper Brooks, and freshman David Marquez Jr.
Wiltbank qualified automatically (5:16.30) and placed 14th in the 500 freestyle with a 5:13.42 clocking. He was just shy of an automatic qualifying time (1:07.07) in the 100 breaststroke with 1:07.51. The provisional time is 1:17.17.
Leyba was also a provisional qualifier in both the 100 butterfly (1:03.23) and 100 Breast (1:11.82). The provisional time in the 100 Fly is 1:08.59.
Bernal-Diaz also qualified provisionally in the 100 Free (59.66) and surpassed his previous 50 Free 28.09 effort with 27.22. The provisional time is 26.33.
Marquez re-set personal 50 Free (30.23) and 100 Free (1:06.45) marks with times of 28.22 and 1:01.91, respectively.
Lewis was very close to provisional times in the 50 Free and 100 backstroke (1:10.13) with 26.68 and 1:10.46, respectively.
First-year members, junior Nicolas Zegarra Nunez, and freshman Clinton Sipes Jr., also posted personal times. Nunez turned in a 29.48 (50 Free) and 1:38.77 (100 Breast) while Sipes had times of 31.59 (50 Free) and 1:09.86 (100 Free).
The other team member, sophomore Rebel Gentry, did not compete.
Morenci Girls
Three girls are out for the program with only two competing in Chandler.
Returning sophomore Zenayah Cortez re-set personal bests and qualified provisionally in both the 50 Free (28.81) with 28.73 and 100 Free (1:03.59) with 1:04.55. Her previous bests were 30.00 (50 Free) and 1:06.88 (100 Free).
First-year participant sophomore Jayden Dillman set a personal mark of 1:37.45 (100 Back).
The third member of the program is junior returnee Jadah Cortez.
Morenci is in its second swim season and Bayardo follows Eric Waananen, who was the head coach in the inaugural season.
A second meet, the Tucson Amphitheater Quadrangular, will be attended by the Wildcats on Sept. 19.
Related Posts
