Morgan Hill
– Fresh off last weekend’s Tri-County Athletic League finals,
the three local high school swim teams have a head of steam going
into the Central Coast Section Swimming and Diving Championships
taking place today and Saturday at Stanford University.
Morgan Hill – Fresh off last weekend’s Tri-County Athletic League finals, the three local high school swim teams have a head of steam going into the Central Coast Section Swimming and Diving Championships taking place today and Saturday at Stanford University.
Today’s preliminary swim competition begins at 11am, and Saturday’s consolation and championship final rounds begin at 1pm. The diving competition will begin at 9:30am on Saturday.
For Gilroy High, standout senior Santiago Maciel is the best hope for a top finish, though head coach Tom Clark said he’s hoping all eight of his swimmers get a chance to compete in Saturday’s consolation or championship final rounds.
Maciel is ranked third in CCS in the 100-meter butterfly and seventh in the 200 individual medley after winning TCAL titles in both events last weekend. Maciel earned both rankings in the league finals.
“He’s seeded high and should make the (consolation) or finals at least,” Clark said. “I’d love to see him make the finals, this is his senior year.”
Mustang junior Lee Walton will also compete in a pair of individual events, swimming in the 200 freestyle and 100 breaststroke.
Maciel and Walton will be joined by teammates Ryan Boe, Scott Castruita, Austin Gubrud, Nick Loporto, Daniel Shields and Sam Whitaker for the three relays the Mustangs qualified to compete in – the 200 medley, 200 freestyle and the 400 free. Gilroy is ranked No. 12 in the 200 free relay, just behind TCAL rival Live Oak.
No Mustang girls qualified for CCS.
San Benito High is also led by a strong contingent of boys. Sophomore David Smith will compete in both the 200 free and the 100 backstroke, both of which he won at the TCAL finals, while classmate Blaine Curtice will compete in the 200 IM and 500 free. Junior Cliff Gere will compete in the 50 free.
“David is listed to reach the (consolation rounds) in both his individuals but I’d like to see more than that,” Haybaler boys’ coach Leif Nordstrom said. “Blaine’s ranked in the top 16 in the IM but not in the 500. But he’s never really pushed himself in the 500. I think we have a chance to do well in those events and the 400 relay.”
The trio will team up with Joel Smith to compete in two of the three relays, including the 400 free – the event they won at the TCAL finals. Lucas Zepeda, Ben Dietrich, Alex Marks, Logan Kratzer and Josh Ward are slated to swim in the 200 free relay.
Haybaler divers Jason Andrade, a sophomore, and Ben Dietrich, a senior, will compete in the one-meter diving finals.
Gilroy High does not send any divers to Stanford.
Meanwhile, the ‘Baler girls will be led by senior Denise Simens, who will compete in the 200 IM and the 100 breastsroke. Simens won both at the TCAL finals and is ranked third in CCS in the latter event.
The ‘Baler girls will also compete in the 200 free and 200 medley relays, with Simens joining Kathryn Adamek, Katie Buzzetta, Valerie Nicolaysen and Natalie Smith in the latter. Tara Damon will replace Simens in the 200 free relay.
Live Oak will send eight boys and six girls to the CCS finals. The Acorn boys will compete in every event, including the three relays and the diving competition. Individual boy swimmers include Ryan Gautschi, Justin Short, Kyle Fast, Shea Coleman, Mike Wu, Cameron Peachey and Dennis Lowe. Sam Cretcher is also listed on the 200 medley and 400 free rosters. Individual girl swimmers include Laura Melroy, Laura Shope and Alisa Pinarbasi, while Melissa Poon, Jessica Poon and Amy Marshall are listed on the relay rosters for Live Oak, which will compete in all three relays.
Live Oak is hurt by the loss of junior standout Ronni Gautschi, who won the TCAL title in the 100 free and helped the Acorn girls relay teams to victories despite a torn meniscus but was recently diagnosed with mononucleosis and can’t compete.
Sobrato’s Katelyn Smith will also compete for her first-year program, qualifying for the 500 free.
