Triton Blog

Gage Price was one of only a handful of our 57 swimmers who competed at the Mike Snyder Memorial meet during the last weekend of May who came away as an event champion, but Gage stood well apart in being the only swimmer to be undefeated at the meet, winning all eight of his events in the 9-10 boys division. He led our six high point winners of the meet by being the only one to take home the top honors, and outscoring the next contender by 30 points. Bryan Wong was in a tied position for the second place for high point in that age division, and he accomplished this by winning two of his six events at the meet. Other second place high point recipients included Alexa Wong whose three wins placed her five points behind the leader in the 8-under division, and Danielle Albright whose three wins also was five points behind in the 11-12 girls division. Preston Niayesh was a two-time champion, and was a third place high point finisher, while Alex Roberts and Mallory Korenwinder finished up in fourth place for high point.

Another highlight of the meet was the 50 meter freestyle swim of 13-year old Mackenzie Garza from Visalia during the lead-off of the 200 free relay. Her time of 29.07 is a new qualifying time for the LA Invitational, a meet that plays host to teams like USC, Cal Berkley, Stanford, as well as international programs. Mackenzie will join 15 other swimmers from our team who have made the qualifying time for this senior-level meet, including training partner Megan Ridenour, who was our other event champion, winning both the 100 and 200 breaststroke event for the 13-14 division. Megan recently returned from the Speedo Grand Challenge, where at age 14 was our teams highest finisher in the 13-over division.

Our team as a whole maintained an improvement rate over 60%, a high rate which was led by 19 swimmers who improved all times that they entered: Mackenzie Garza, Isaac Gutierrez, Xavier Gutierrez, Daniel Haley, Cyrus Hill, Genoveve Mcilwaine, Adelyne Merritt, Ethan Merritt, Mariah Oliveira, Emma Pena, Garrison Price, Seiji Shinkawa, Elizabeth Torres, Alexa Wong, Blake Wong, Brett Wong, Bryan Wong, Bryce Wong and Jenna Yeates.

Eighty-four TNT swimmers competed at the second long course meet hosted by TNT at the Reedley long course pool, this time in the rain and cold for day one, over the last weekend of April. Despite the weather, seven of our swimmers were still able to maintain a 100% improvement rate. These perfect performances came from Isaac Gutierrez of Porterville who improved four of four events, Emma Pena who improved six of six, Seiji Shinkawa of Selma who improved three of three, his brother Shoji Shinkawa who improved two of two, and three siblings who reside in Coalinga: Blake Wong who improved five of five, brother Brett Wong who improved two of two, and their brother Bryce Wong who improved four of four.

An additional 21 swimmers improved 50% or more of their times, and they include: Danielle Albright (88%), Ava Olson (83%), Lucas Huckabay (75%), Alexa Wong (75%), Tomas Contreras (71%), Maya Herrera (71%), Allie Benegar (67%), Noah Haworth (67%), Ashley Olson (67%), Nicholas Vassylenko (67%), Gage Price (63%), Corinne Maxfield (60%), Satoshi Shinkawa (60%), Bryan Wong (60%), Dylan Hunt (57%), Isabel Burrough (50%), Paige Coddington (50%), Jillian Gaines (50%), Diego Gutierrez (50%), Garrison Price (50%), and Maryn Vanwoudenberg (50%).

Sixteen additional swimmers competed in the Olympic length course (50 meters) for their very first time. Congratulations to the following for posting their first long course times with the team: Alondra Arroyo-Rico (age 10), Ella Bettencourt (9), Emma Bettencourt (9), John Cemo (10), Emma Jiminez (10), Drew Johnston (9), Isabella Klawitter (9), Amanda Lawrence (11), Olivia Machado (8), Adelyne Merritt (8), Ethan Merritt (11), Lawrence Noelle (13), Jacquelyn Oliveira (9), Joseph Oliveira (12), Emma Pullin (12), and Sydnee Wilson (9).

One team record was set at the meet as 12-year old Danielle Albright just returned from setting a new CCS record in the 1000 yard freestyle while competing at Far Westerns. Only two weeks later, she now sets a new team record in the 200 meter butterfly, swimming the event in a meter pool for the very first time. Her time of 2:46.62 slid under Janessa Bringe’s previous record of 2:47.14 that she had set at the Clovis Arena Grand Challenge meet in July of 2014. Danielle’s new record now stands as the 30^th fastest time by any 12-year old girl in the nation.

Four of our swimmers swam undefeated at the meet in Reedley, and these included 8-year old Ella Bettencourt who won the 50 breast and 50 free events, 8-year old Adelyne Merritt who won the 50 breast, 100 back and 50 free events, 14-year old Satoshi Shinkawa swept six events that included the 100 fly, 100 back, 400 IM, 200 fly, 200 back and 200 IM, 8-year old Alexa Wong who won the 100 fly, 50 breast, 50 free, 100 free (consequently with a  time that currently ranks her as the 4^th fastest 8-year old girl in the country), 50 fly and 200 IM.

Eight TNT swimmers traveled to Morgan Hill, California and competed at the 2015 Far Western Championships in early April. Far Westerns has historically been the host to many of the top age-group swimming from across the nation, and is a venue were many national top-10 times have been established. The competition typically attracts well over 1,000 athletes who strive to place among the top ten in each event, thereby earning a position in the final heat.

This year, twelve year old Danielle Albright was our sole finalist, having her highest finish of 2nd in the 1000 freestyle, improving over 13 seconds from her previous best. Her time of 10:43.72 reclaimed a previous TNT CCS record that had subsequently been broken by Clovis’s Caitlyn Snyder in 2012. Danielle’s new CCS (and team) record currently stands as the 30th fastest time in the nation for all girls of age 12. Danielle’s 1000 freestyle was only the final performance that capped one of the most successful meets of her young career. She set three additional team records that included the 200 free where her time of 2:01.43 was an improvement of her Junior Olympic time (and record) of 2:01.53. This time stands as the 275th fastest time nationally. She went on to set the team’s 200 IM record with a time of 2:15.50, which once again she owned as 2:18.25 from JO’s, and her new record ranks 171st nationally. Her fourth team record was the 4:43.59 that she swam in the 400 IM, swimming four seconds under her previous record of 4:47.90 from the Clovis meet in February. This event stands as the 59th fastest nationally. Danielle earned top-10 finishes in five of her seven events. In addition to the 2nd place finish in the 1000 freestyle, she finished 4th in the 400 IM, 6th in the 200 breast (2:30.66), 8th in the 200 IM, and 9th in the 200 free.

Significant time improvements came from Janessa Bringe who improved over 8 seconds in the 13-14 1000 freestyle while competing on the bottom of the age group, along with the 75% improvement by Gage Price, the 86% improvement of Alex Roberts, and the 100% improvement of Satoshi Shinkawa. The highest place finish from each swimming includes: Danielle Albright’s 2nd place in the 1000 free, Owen Ansel’s 15th place finish in the 100 breast (age 17; 1:01.96), Janessa Bringe’s 25th place finish in the 1000 free (age 13; 11:05.84), Jackson Huckabay’s 17th place finish in the 500 free (age 12; 5:25.87), Jonas Huckabay’s 19th place finish in the 1000 free (age 14; 10:20.07), Gage Price’s 12th place finish in the 200 free (age 10; 2:16.78), Alex Robert’s 19th place finish in the 50 back (age 12; 29.99) and 50 fly (28.51), and Satoshi Shinkawa’s 20th place finish in the 200 IM (age 14; 2:04.42).

Central California Swimming recently recognized swimmers as Swimmer of the Year recipients within 20 age divisions, not including the alumni division, and TNT swimmers claimed 7 of them. Swimmer of the Year recognition is based on prior year performance, and recognition took place at Junior Olympics for 12-under swimmers, and at the Juanita Allington meet for 13-over swimmers.

Kylie Walker of Visalia was the 10-year old female recipient this year, and she was also the 9-year old recipient last year.  Kylie was a Far Western finalist in the 100 fly, 100 free, 50 fly and 50 free events this past spring, and holds five short course 10-under team records, two long course 10-under team records, and already set the 11-12 team record in the 200 yard butterfly event.

Danielle Albright is the 11-year old girl recipient, and she is the current CCS record holder for the 8-under 25-yard breaststroke event, and was a Far Western qualifier on the bottom of the 11-12 age group this past spring.  Like Kylie, she was also recognized as the 10-year old Swimmer of the Year last year, and she currently holds three 10-under short course team records, four 11-12 short course team records, three 10-under long course team records, and one 11-12 long course team record.

Peyton Costa was recognized as the 10-year old male Swimmer of the Year, after being the 9-year old recipient last year. He is a Western Zone finalist this past summer while competing in Seattle. Setting eight short course team records, he has the vast majority of the 10-under boy team records, leaving only four untouched, placing him as one of our all-time top 10-under male short course swimmers in the history of the team. He already holds the 11-12 200 backstroke record. Additionally, Peyton holds two long course team records in the 10-under division.

Jackson Huckabay of Selma followed last year’s recognition as the 10-year old male Swimmer of the Year with this year’s 11-year old recognition. Jackson is a multi-finalist at the June Age Group Invitational year after year, and was a Western Zone finalist during the 10-under age group for the 200 free, 50 breast, 100 free, 100 breast and 50 free events. He currently holds the team’s 11-12 1000 yard freestyle team record, and he maintains most of the team’s 10-under boy long course records setting five of the eleven, thereby placing him as our team’s long course standout for the 10-under boys.

Satoshi Shikawa of Selma received his first Swimmer of the Year award this spring for the 13-year old male division. Satoshi is a Far Western, and Western Zone qualifier, and has recently achieved his first cut for the Terrapin meet as he begins his transition to senior-level swimming. Satoshi is our current 11-12 boys 100 IM team record holder, and is a multi-Winter Age Group Championship finalist.

Mallory Korenwinder is the recipient for the 16-year old female division, and her track record includes national rankings in three different age divisions, along with CCS records in the 100 yard, 100 meter and 200 yard breaststroke events. She is a USA Swimming Summer National qualifier, and a Winter Junior National championship finalist. She holds 16 short course team records that span all four age divisions, and 11 long course team records.

Kyle Grissom was the recipient for the 16-year old male division, and he is a recent signee to the USC swimming squad. Kyle had set the CCS record in both 100 yard and 100 meter butterfly events this past year, has been nationally ranked (top 10) in two different age divisions. He is a Winter National qualifier who holds fifteen team records across three different age groups.

The Juanita Allington Memorial Senior meet hosted by Clovis Swim Club can be considered an introductory level to senior swimming that is offered locally. This year’s meet offered thirty finalist (three heats of ten). Our younger swimmers who are on the brink of readiness for senior-level competition have historically been encouraged to attend. Danielle Albright is one such swimmer, and at age 12, had set a new team record for the 11-12 girls 400 IM with her time of 4:47.90. She had previously set the record as a 4:57.79 during the Age Group Championships in San Diego this past December, and her new record stands as the 76th fastest nationally. Danielle had a top-30 finish with a 25th placing in the 1000 freestyle event.

Our only other team record was set by veteran senior-swimmer from Selma, and Sectional championship finalist, Sierra Jett, who swam to an 11th place finish in the 100 freestyle with a time of 51.52, a time that was over a half second under Jillian Hatch’s 52.50 that was set at the Winter Junior National meet in Seattle this past December. Her time stands as the 114th fastest nationally for females at age 17. Sierra had her highest finish at 9th in the 50 free, and also finished 22nd in the 100 fly.

Ten of our 27 swimmers performed well enough during their preliminary swims to place in the top-30, earning second swims for events under 1,000 yards in length. Our highest finisher came from Mallory Korenwinder who swam to a second place finish in the 100 yard breaststroke event (1:04.41). She also finished 8th in the 200 breaststroke, 11th in the 100 fly, 16th in the 400 IM and 27th in the 200 free for her two days of competition. Kyle Grissiom was our only other championship finalist finishing 4th in the 50 free, 5th in the 100 fly, and also had an 11th place finish in the 100 back.

Other remaining finalists included Owen Ansel, finishing 16th in the 200 IM, 17th in the 100 breast, and 18th in the 200 breast; Visalia’s Janessa Bringe finishing 18th in the 1650 freestyle (at age 13), Selma’s Morgan Coddington finishing 28th in the 200 IM, Fig Garden’s TNT swimmer Lauren Davis finishing 16th in the 200 breaststroke, Khloe McCarthy finishing 13th in the 1650 free, 15th in the 500 free, 22nd in the 400 IM, and 28th in the 200 back; and Visalia swimmer Megan Ridenour finishing 14th in the 100 breaststroke.
Our remaining swimmers, along with their highest place finish, included: Justin Bos (121st in the 100 fly), Tanner Davis (46th in the 100 breast), Alonso Escobedo (59th in the 200 back), Tristan Gaines (45th in the 1000 free), Olivia Garabedian (72nd in the 50 free), Mackenzie Garza (142nd in the 50 free), Lauren Geiger (70th in the 200 back), Naomi Haworth (190th in the 50 free), Noah Haworth (43rd in the 100 fly), Katelyn Herrera (66th in the 400 IM), Jacqui Koster (127th in the 100 back), JD Koster (72nd in the 200 breast), Ashley Olson (101st in the 100 back), Jeremiah Santillana (101st in the 100 back), Satoshi Shinkawa (44th in the 200 breast), Katherine Sullivan (120th in the 100 back), and Blake Wong (62nd in the 100 breast).