Stingrays open long course season with wins

Staff reports
Today's News-Herald

Published Tuesday, May 11, 2010 11:53 PM MST

LAS VEGAS — Eleven members of the Havasu Stingray Swim Team members traveled to Southern Nevada to participate in the 2010 Bajio Invitational Swim Meet May 1-2 in the team's long course meters season opener.

The meet attracted over 460 swimmers from Arizona, California, Nevada, and Utah.

Swimming under California swimming guidelines, athletes are grouped into blue, red, and white divisions according to their times. Swimmers with the fastest times are in the blue division, and the top three swimmers earn medals. Swimmers in all divisions earn ribbons up to eighth place.

Earning top finishes in the blue division was Courtney Barker, 15, swimming to a second place finish in the women's open 200M backstroke and an eighth place in the 50M freestyle.

Swimming to multiple top finishes in the boys 11-12 year old division was Caden Carver, 12, capturing gold medals in the 50M and 100M backstroke, a silver medal in the 200M IM, bronze medals in the 50M and 100M freestyles, and a fourth place finish in the 200M freestyle. Carver also swam in the open 400M and 1500M freestyles where he earned a third and first place finish respectively in his age group.

Carver's swim in the 1500M freestyle (19:35.33) currently ranks him 15th in the nation.

Alex Johnson, 12, also swam to top finishes in the girls 11-12 year old blue division. She earned a first place finish in her age group in the women's open 200 breaststroke, silver medals in the 50M freestyle and 100M breaststroke, a bronze in the 50M breaststroke, 4th place finishes in the 50M and 100M butterfly's, and a fifth place finish in the 200M IM.

Johnson's time in the 100M breaststroke (1:23.64) currently ranks her at 20th in the nation.

Also swimming in the blue division was Jasmine Partain, 10, swimming to a gold medal finish in the girls 10 and under 50M backstroke. Partain also swam to bronze medal finishes in the 100M and 200M freestyles and 100M backstroke, fourth place finishes in the 50M freestyle and 50M butterfly, a fifth place finish in the 200M IM, and a sixth place finish in the 400M freestyle.

Mickey Scharbrough, 14, swam to a gold medal finish in the 100M butterfly, a fifth place finish in the 100M breaststroke, and an eighth place finish in the 50M freestyle in the men’s 13 and over blue division. Scharbrough also swam to a first place finish in the men's open 200M breaststroke in his age group.

Swimming to the top spots in the red division was Havasu's Arlen Dean, 13, with first place finishes in the 50M freestyle and the 100M breaststroke, second place finishes in the 100M Butterfly, 100M freestyle, and the 200M IM in the men's 13 and over division. Dean also had a fifth place finish the men's open 200 breaststroke.

Representing the 11-12 year old girls in the red division was Chloe Johnson, 11, swimming to numerous first place finishes in the 50M and 100M breaststroke's, 200M IM, and 100M backstroke, a second place finish in the 200M freestyle, fourth place finishes in the 50M freestyle and 50 backstroke, and a sixth place finish in the 100M freestyle.

Also swimming in the girl's 11-12 year old red division was McKenna Wales, 12, capturing a first place finish in the 50M backstroke, second place finishes in the 50M freestyle and 100M backstroke, a third place finish in the 50M breaststroke, and a sixth place finish in the 200M freestyle.

Competing in the white division was swimmer Gracie Moroney, 9, who swam to a second place finish in the 50M backstroke in the girls 9-10 year old division. Logan Wales, 9, swam to a sixth place finish in the 200M IM.

Representing swimmers in the women's 13 and over white division was Melissa Williams, 14, who swam to a second place finish in the 100M butterfly, a third place finish in the 50M freestyle, fourth place finishes in the 200M IM and 100M Freestyle, and a sixth place finish in the 100M breaststroke.

Also swimming for Havasu and posting new times were Alyson Chapin, 10, Moriah Kimball, 9, and Emily Hudson, 14.

"I was pleased to see how our swimmers performed at this meet," said Stingrays head coach Mike Taylor. "It looks like we're tuning up for our long course season ahead of schedule. We had some really great swims and some huge time drops."

Next up for the Stingrays is the Cactus Classic Invitational held at the Scottsdale Aquatic Club, May 28-31. This meet generally attracts the top swimmers from the Western United States.

Staff reports

Today's News-Herald

Stingrays open long course season with wins

Staff reports

Today's News-Herald