Wildcat trio post times in Oro Valley Invite
By Raymundo Frasquillo
MORENCI – The Renee Still-coached Morenci Wildcats welcome the Florence Gophers on Thursday, Sept. 24, for a 1 p.m. dual. The Morenci Aquatic Center is the site.
Thus far, three of seven Wildcats have posted times in two state qualifying meets, the Chandler Croswhite Invitational (Sept. 12) and the Oro Valley Canyon del Oro Classic (Sept. 19).
Team members include seniors Alandra Dalton, Giselle Nevarez, and Avery Wiltbank; junior Jolie Anderson; sophomores Annael LeBris and Genisis Nevarez; and freshman Elizabeth VanDam.
Wiltbank has team bests in the 50 Freestyle (29.70, Sept. 19) and 100 Backstroke (1:15.92, Sept. 19); Giselle Nevarez in the 100 Butterfly (1:16.50, Sept. 19) and 100 Breaststroke (1:27.74, Sept. 19); and LeBris in the 100 Free (1:45.66, Sept. 12).
Morenci will compete in two more state qualifying meets, the Gilbert Higley/Williams Field Knight’s Invitational (Sept. 26) and the Southern Arizona final state qualifying meet at the Oro Valley Aquatic Center on Oct. 23-24.
The Wildcats host two meets, on Sept. 24 with Florence and on Oct. 15 with Globe, as well as attending one in Paradise Valley with Phoenix Country Day School on Sept. 29.
Canyon del Oro Classic (Sept. 19)
Morenci team members also posted times: Dalton in the 100 Back (2:30.48) and LeBris in the 100 Breast (1:50.88).
The top three teams were Tucson Catalina Foothills first with 450 points, Canyon del Oro second (287), and Gilbert American Leadership – North third (224).
Gilbert Christian was fourth with 191 points, Tucson Tanque Verde fifth (178), Tucson Pusch Ridge Christian sixth (131), Tucson Rincon/University seventh (125), eighth Marana (108), Tucson Sabino ninth (105), Queen Creek Casteel 10th (65), Vail Mica Mountain 11th (58), Sierra Vista Buena 12th (54).
Vail Cienega was 13th with 53 points, Tucson Desert Christian 14th (42), Oro Valley Ironwood Ridge 15th (28), Sahuarita Walden Grove 16th (21), Casa Grande 17th (20), Sahuarita 18th (18), Morenci 19th (6), and Tucson’s The Gregory School did not score team points.
Individual event winners were Catalina Foothills senior Connolly Taylor in the 50 Free (24.30) of 68, Catalina Foothills junior Madeline Carney in the 100 Free (55.79) of 60, Canyon del Oro sophomore Naomi Weibel in the 100 Back (57.33) of 44 and 200 IM (2:05.70) of 29, Pusch Ridge freshman Brinley Edquid in the 100 Fly (58.58) of 16, Pusch Ridge senior Reagan Edquid in the 100 Breast (1:05.16) of 42, and Catalina Foothills senior Leila Stafford in the 200 Free (1:54.37) of 37 and 500 Free (4:59.69) of 20.
Catalina Foothills swept the three relays: the 200 Free Relay of 24 with freshman Kinzie Obler, sophomore Chloe Hermann, senior Isabella Geiger, and Taylor in 1:42.21, the 200 Medley Relay of 19 with Taylor, freshman Elira Novak, Stafford, and Herman in 1:51.26, and the 400 Free Relay of 19 with Stafford, Obler, Carney, and Geiger in 3:43.14.
Croswhite Invitational (Sept. 12)
Morenci team members also posting times were Anderson in the 50 Free (37.43) and 100 Fly (1:51.02); and VanDam in the 50 Free (42.88).
The top three teams were Phoenix Desert Vista first (389), Scottsdale Chaparral second (312), and Chandler Hamilton third (213).
Gilbert was fourth with 185 points, Gilbert Campo Verde fifth (171), Gilbert Perry sixth (170), Yuma Cibola seventh (137), Mesa Mountain View eighth (132), Phoenix Pinnacle ninth (110), Paradise Valley 10th (89), Chandler 11th (63), Surprise Willow Canyon 12th (46), and Queen Creek Benjamin Franklin 13th (44), and Phoenix Sandra Day O’Connor and Scottsdale Horizon tied for 14th (41),
Mesa Eastmark was 16th (33), Mesa Heritage Gateway 17th (32), Queen Creek Casteel 18th (27), Chandler Prep 19th (26), and Queen Creek American Leadership 20th (22), Cottonwood Mingus 21st (13), Prescott 22nd (10), Queen Creek 23rd (6), Surprise Valley Vista 24th (5), Queen Creek Heritage Gateway 25th (4), and Tempe Prep 26th (3).
Avondale West Point, Buckeye Odyssey Institute, Chandler Valley Christian, Douglas, Gilbert San Tan Charter, Glendale Trivium Prep, Globe, Maricopa, Maricopa Desert Sunrise, Mesa Skyline, Morenci, Phoenix Horizon Honors, Surprise Shadow Ridge, and Tolleson did not score team points.
Individual event winners were Campo Verde sophomore Vivienne Sterling in the 50 Free (24.07) of 127 and 100 Fly (57.50) of 52, Gilbert sophomore Anna Maldonado in the 100 Free (57.50) of 116, Desert Vista sophomore Delaney Holm in the 100 Back (58.98) of 87, Desert Vista senior Alexandra Volkova in the 100 Breast (1:05.83) of 92, Desert Vista junior Alexa Largent in the 200 Free (1:54.19) of 49 and 500 Free (5:00.53) of 37, and Chaparral junior Fabiola Martin in the 200 IM (2:11.35) of 42. Desert Vista was first in the 200 Free Relay (1:38.52) of 28 with senior Victoria Nguyen (25.41), Holm (24.16), junior Katrina Plank (24.73), and Largent (24.22) was first (1:28.78) and in the 200 Medley Relay (1:49.85) of 27 with junior Addison Zius (28.14 Back), Volkova (30.24 Breast), Largent (26.61 Fly), and Nguyen (24.86 Free), and Chaparral was first (3:39.44) of 28 in the 400 Free Relay with juniors Claire Konat, Martin, Maja McDougall, and Elise Flores.
