Thirty-two TNT swimmers competed at the 2022 Central California Swimming Short Course Junior Olympic Championships over the third weekend of February, and took the team to a sixth-place finish with a total of 1,185 points which was behind Bakersfield’s 1,416 fifth place, and just ahead of Fresno Dolphin’s at 1,161.5 points. There were 26 teams that scored at the meet that hosted a total of 28 teams representing regions throughout California and Nevada. Only one Central California Swimming team was among the top four scoring teams: Clovis (4025.5 points), Irvine (3164.5), Las Vegas (1808.5) and PUMA (1533).
The team’s total point accumulation was led by Porterville’s Regan Hildreth who accumulated 113 points while earning a second swim in all seven individual events entered in the 11-12 girl’s division, and becoming the event champion in the 11-12 200 breaststroke event after improving over 14 seconds to a time of 2:40.87. Our next highest point getter was 11 year old Logan Huckabay (109 points), followed by our remining finalists who included: Zach Walker (94 points), Blake Rogers (94), Lexi Krigbaum (85), Hannah Beer (83), Mia Buller (79), Nathan Boudreaux (56), Josh Wee (54), Blake Sifton (54), Marisol Alvarez (52), Lance Walker (50), Danny Rodriguez (24), Gabriela Dutra (23), Tarrin Nelms (21), Reece Phillips (21), Canyon Johnson (19), Kody Kevorkian (15), Ivan Rodriguez (11), Ada Maher (11), Morgan Darpli (9), Josephine Batres (7), Isaak Ensz (7), Hayden Cardoza (7), and Emma Taylor (7).
Regan Hildreth was among five TNT swimmers who were event champions in one or more events, and the group was led by eight-year-old Zack Walker who won three of his seven events by winning the 8-under 100 free (1:18.77), 50 back (42.32), and 50 freestyle (36.77) events. Twelve-year-old Blake Rogers took home the gold in both the 50 free (25.50) and 50 breaststroke (32.61) events. Our remaining two event champions included Lexi Krigbaum who won the 8-under 100 IM (1:34.03), and sixteen-year-old Mia Buller who won the 15-18 500 freestyle event with a lifetime best of 5:25.33.
Thirteen swimmers improved 100% of their events while at the meet. Congratulations go to: Marisol Alvarez, Morgan Darpli, Logan Huckabay, Kody Kevorkian, Lexi Krigbaum, Ada Maher, Addison Mccullough, Tarrin Nelms, Reece Phillips, Danny Rodriguez, Ivan Rodriguez, Blake Rogers, and Lance Walker.
Annually, during the short course Junior Olympic Championships, Central California Swimming recognizes the top male and top female swimmer at individual ages from 9 to 16, and the 17-18 age group based on ranking performance (Top-5 CCS and national) in nationally recognized events during the previous year’s performance. This year, six TNT swimmers were recognized as the Swimmer the Year for their respective ages this past year, and they include: Logan Huckabay (age 10 boys), Michelle Murphy (age 13 girls), Alexa Wong (age 14 girls), Ava Olson (age 15 girls), Bryan Wong (age 16 boys), and Danielle Albright (age 17-18 girls).
