Young team excels in freezing weekend
SALINAS — The Makos of Morgan Hill Swim Club earned a fourth-place finish in the 10-and-under Division and seventh place in the Memorial Day Youth Cup Challenge last weekend in Salinas.
A total of 484 swimmers from four states and Canada converged at Hatnell College’s 50-meter pool, competing in two divisions. Scoring from 10U and 11 and over were combined in the Youth Cup.
Weather was challenging, as the sun did not burn through the coastal fog and the winds dropped temperature into the upper 30s and low 40s. That did not stop the Makos from recording more than 70 percent personal-record times with some huge drops and great efforts.
With 17 of the Makos’ 29 swimmers 10 or younger, Morgan Hill Swim Club fielded a young team. The Makos scored well in both the 10U events and 8-and-under events as well. Omar Insignares, 8, won the 100-meter freestyle and scored numerous second- and third-place finishes. Elena Tebb, 7, scored in a handful of events. Elijah Urbina, 10, won the 100-meter backstroke and scored in the top eight in all his events. Victoria Martini, also 10, scored in the top eight in most of her events and snagged her first-ever Far Western Qualifying Time as well.
The Makos’ 10U and 11 and 12 relays scored no worse than third, with the 10U and 11-12 girls 400-meter freestyle relays and the 11-12 girls 400-meter medley relays winning their events in exciting races.
Through Sunday, Daniel Pawlak, 12, was in a tie for the 11-12 Boys High Point Award with two other swimmers within two points. Pawlak was consistent throughout the meet, scoring no lower than fourth in all his events. Monday he ran out of gas a little and ended up third overall, but his efforts resulted in nearly 200 of Morgan Hill Swim Club’s 364 points in the boys older division. Zack Greymont, 13, swam well, edging into the finals in three events Saturday. Christiana Bridges scored all three of her events.
The Long Course Season uses the 50-meter course rather than the 25-yard one, and the Morgan Hill Aquatic Center offers one of the finest competition and training facilities for 50 meters in the area. The Makos showed the results of the Long Course training, often times winning close events in the final 10 and 15 meters. Now it’s back to training for the next Long Course meet in early June in San Jose.
