Triton Blog

Twelve of 37 TNT swimmers made new cuts in last opportunity to do so, and they qualified in 24 new events. Two of our swimmers qualified for Junior Olympics for their first time ever. Ten year old Garrison Price of Hanford swam his first meet with TNT and qualified for the first time in three events (100 free – 1:18.49, 200 IM – 3:16.38 & 50 fly – 35.57). Twelve year old Jakob Koorey made his first cuts in both the 100 free (1:08.13) and 100 breast (1:27.87).

 

Annie Haworth (age 9) of Selma led all new qualifiers by establishing four new qualifying times that included the 100 breast (1:42.35), 50 back (40.74), 100 IM (1:29.26) and 50 breaststroke (46.87). These four events are added to her three preexisting events for a grand total of seven qualifying times which is the maximum number of events that a swimmer may compete in.

Justin Bos (age 14) of Visalia qualified in three new events that included the 100 free (1:01.07), 200 free (2:12.23) and 100 fly (1:07.48). Other new qualifying times were established by Lauren Geiger (100 free & 200 free), Jacqui Koster (100 IM), Katie Sullivan (100 free & 100 IM), Parker Giles (100 fly), Noah Haworth (200 back), Jimmy Koster (100 breast), Daniel Magargee (50 fly & 50 breast) and Mark Tiersma (100 back & 100 IM).

 

Our team improvement rate was at 62% with thirteen swimmers improving all times that they competed in. Congratulations to: Justin Bos, Desmond Brown, Tomas Contrereas, Nadia Garabedian, Parker Giles, Noah Haworth, Jimmy Koster, Paul Alexander Lerro, Daniel Magargee, Megan Ridenour, Katherine Sullivan, Mark Tiersma, and Jenna Yeats. Those improving 50% or more of their times included: Olivia Garabedian (86%), Annlyn Haworth (86%), Emma Coelho (80%), Amanda Garabedian (71%), Maya Herrera (67%), Jacqui Koster (67%), Emily Sullivan (67%), Savannah Williams (67%), Aery Coelho (50%), and Lauren Geiger (50%).

Tule Nation Tritons traveled to Golden West College over the third weekend of December with only 7 swimmers, yet brought home the 1^st place trophy for the Small Team Division, outscored the next nearest team by 110 points, and finished as the 14^th highest scoring team, despite team-size division, at the meet. Our 363 points were led by the nearly undefeated performance of Kolton Norys who is now a recent graduate of Auburn University. Winning four of his five events, and placing 2^nd in the 50 free, Kohlton single handedly amassed 156 points.

Our impressive men’s team of Wes Coles, Colin Landweer, Chris Nolan, Kohlton Norys and Nathan Rhea, in a truly team-manner with each individual without exception contributing, accumulated 360 points on the men’s side of scoring alone. Only one other team, AZOT from the large team division, accumulated more points on the men’s side of the meet. Three relays were entered into the meet, and all three scored resulting in a total contribution from relays of 154 points. All three relays were also under the qualifying time for USA Nationals in their respective categories, and one (400 medley relay – 3:25.41) resulted in a bronze medal performance, and was also under the CCS Record in the senior division. Wesley Coles, Colin Landweer, Kohlton Norys and Nathan Rhea teamed up for all relays placing 6^th in the 800 free relay (6:51.85), 4^th in the 400 free relay (3:08.67), and 3^rd in the 400 medley relay.

Kohlton’s wins included the 200 back (1:44.44), the 100 free (44.14), 200 free (1:38.23) and 100 back (47.60). His 100 backstroke time was also a record breaking performance as he went under the Sectional record of 47.96 set by Russian born Vladimir Morozov in 2009 while representing Torrance Swim Club. Wesley Coles contributed 45 points from individual events with a championship swim and 7^th place finish in the 200 fly (1:51.55), a 14^th place finish in the 500 free (4:35.65), 20^th place finish in the 1650 free (16:07.03) and 21^st place finish in the 100 fly (51.69). Making his first appearance at short course sectionals, Christopher Nolan was one of only three male TNT swimmers to earn a second swim in an individual event, and he did so by finishing 20^th in the 200 fly (1:55.03) thereby contributing 5 points to the overall team score.

Our team out scored all but one team at the meet on the men’s side, despite the size of the any team, and despite the fact that we only had 5 male swimmers. This dominant performance was reflected in the early days of the meet. However, no total point accumulation can be counted toward a combined team score unless both male and female swimmers score at the meet. The Sectional meet follows the team scoring protocol conducted at Nationals. Without a single point from a female swimmer going into the fifth and final day of the meet, our team was not represented on the combined team score list for team placing considerations. 

Qualified in only 3 events, Mallory Korenwinder already swam her 200 yard breaststroke event (2:24.18) on day 2 placing 39^th in the event (up from the 46^th place she was entered at). She had 2 events left: the 100 fly which she didn’t have a short course cut for, and the 100 breaststroke where she was the 57^th seed, well beyond her initial seeding of 46^th in the 200 breaststroke event. Only the top 24 swimmers could earn a second swim, and thereby score at the meet.

Mallory qualified for the meet with a 1:07.75 in the 100 breaststroke, and in the preliminary heats of the last day she swam 1:06.47 to place 25^th, a jump of 32 places. An impatient wait of 30 minutes would reveal two girls who decided to scratch, thereby placing Mallory into scoring position. Mallory swam her exact time of 1:06.47 in the bonus heat, moving up one additional place, and scoring 3 points for the team, and in a “shot at the buzzer” fashion, brought home the 1^st place trophy.

Reminiscent of time improvements among age group swimmers, our team’s improvement percentage was over 81%. Although Kohlton may not have topped his personal best, he was surprisingly close in several events, considering he was competing at a caliber of meet that he has moved well beyond. He did; however, improve all his events that were previously recorded with our team. Other 100% improvements also came from Wesley Coles who had back-to-back 100% improvements when considering Junior Nationals that he recently attended. After a hand injury, Chris Nolan still managed to not only earn a second swim, but also improve 100% of his times. Mallory Korenwinder was our other swimmer with a 100% improvement rate. Both Emily Goodbar (75%) and Colin Landweer (67%) each maintained improvement rates at 50% or higher. Congratulations Emily for her first appearance at Sectionals.

Each time Kohlton hit the water, he reestablished a TNT team record. Kohton had set the team record in the 200 back as a 16 year old in 2005 at Winter Invite with a 1:50.06, and now swam 1:44.44 at Sectionals. His NCAA time this past year was 1:43.30. Kohlton returned in 2009 as a 20 year old and set the team record in the 100 free during the Hanford meet with a 46.84 and now swam 44.14 at Sectionals. He went 43.77 at the James Martin Invite in March of this year. At that same Hanford meet in 2009, he swam 21.13 in the 50 free, and at Sectionals he went 20.34. He swam 19.38 at NCAA this past year. As a 17 year old, Kohlton swam a 1:42.44 at the Belmont Grand Prix meet in 2007 for the 200 free. At Sectionals he swam 1:38.23, and this compares to his 1:37.74 that he swam at the Ralph Crocker Classic in January. Kohlton’s 100 back from the CCS Record breaking relay was his fastest 100 back of the three that he swam at Sectionals this winter, and he went 47.56 on the lead-off of that relay. Kohlton swam 50.42 at the Winter Invite as a 16-year old in 2005, and he went 46.95 at the SEC Championships this past year.

Mallory Korenwinder also set two new team records at Sectionals. Her scoring performance in the 100 breaststroke came with a time of 1:06.47 (twice), and this was under the 1:07.75 record breaking performance that she had at the Terrapin meet only a month earlier. Mallory has now qualified for the Santa Clara International meet with that time, and her time is the 39^th fastest for any 13-year old girl in the nation for 2011. Her other record was in the 200 breaststroke where she swam 2:24.18, once again surpassing her Terrapin time of 2:24.94, and swimming the 32^nd fastest time in the nation for any 13 year old girl during 2011.

Wesley Coles set a new team record in the 100 breaststroke with a time of 1:00.08, thereby silencing any questions as to his ability in the stroke. The previous record belonged to Sam Hanson, now competing for Canisius College in New York. Sam set the record at Sectionals last year with a 1:00.18. Wesley’s time is ranked 394^th in the nation for all 17-year old boys for the entire year of 2011. Colin Landweer was our other swimmer with a record breaking performance by swimming 1:55.93 in the 200 IM event at the meet. Nathan Rhea had set the record last year at Sectionals with a 1:57.42. Colin’s time ranks 296^th nationally for 17-year old males.

A group of 10 TNT swimmers made their presence known while competing at the PUMA Breast Cancer Awareness meet held at Arroyo Grande during the last weekend of October. The team, primarily composed of swimmers 10 years old and younger, was led by 8-year old Tomas Contreras who took home first place finishes in six of his seven events. Event champions also included five-year-old Paige Costa who won the 25 fly. Her brother eight-year-old Peyton Costa, who competed in the 5-10 division instead of the 5-8 age division, took home a win in the 5-10 50 backstroke event. Eight-year old Brett Hanke won both the 50 free and 50 fly in the 5-8 division, while Toby Jones took home wins in the 50 breaststroke and 100 breaststroke events.

 

A couple of swimmers’ improvements were in the double digits. Desmond Brown had the largest drop in time as he took off over 18 seconds in the 100 freestyle event, while his counterpart Anthony Tellechea, who improved 100% of his times, took off over 14 seconds in the 100 IM event, and dropped over 11 seconds in his 100 breaststroke event.

Congratulations and a warm welcome goes to five-year old London Jones for swimming her first two events: 20 back and 25 free.

 

 

 The most impressive observation from the Selma meet was the 97 TNT swimmers who were entered and competed at the meet. Seventy-three of our swimmers had previously recorded times in 50 yard or longer events with the team, and these swimmers maintained a 64% improvement rate. Twenty of these swimmers improved all events entered, and they included: Tristian Abell, Matthew Bivens, Justin Bos, Morgan Coddington, Paige Coddington, Tomas Contreras, Peyton Costa, Chris Ewins, Laurne Geiger, Emily Goodbar, Chris Hansen, Noah Haworth, Lily Hodges, Chrystelle Jaramillo, Jakob Koorey, Jacqui Koster, Josh Koster, Emily Sullivan, Ivan Villalvazo and Nicholas Yribarren.

Twenty-seven swimmers recorded short-course times in events 50 yards or longer for the first time while at the meet. A welcome goes to: Keiren Arakawa, Demaris, Avila, Chase Belflower, Damian Brown, Makaira, Chavez, Malakai Chavez, Paige Costa, Khori Cranford, Tara Fry, Lucas Huckabay, Rachel Just, Zachary Just, Anna Lehrman, Tyler Mauldin, Hannah Mukai, Madison Pallares, Zakery Phillips, Miranda Pimentel, Seiji Shinkawa, Shoji Shinkawa, Victoria Valdez, Isabella Vaughn, Mikayla Vierra and Colin Watamura.

The meet recognized swimmers competing within individual age categories, opposed to age-group categories. Nine of our swimmers were uncontested as they took home 1st place finishes in all events they competed in. Bre Abell won each of 4 events in for 15 year old girls, while Ian Belflower took home 1st place finishes in his 4 events for 7-year old boys. Wes Coles was the champion in 4 events for the 17-year old boys division, while Peyton Costa swept 8 of 8 events for the 8-year old boys. Teammates Alexies Ledesma (100 free, 100 fly, 200 back & 200 free) and Anna Lehrman (50 free, 100 breast, 200 IM & 500 free) split 8 events, winning 4 each for 16 year old girls division, while sister Emily Lehrman took home 1st place finishes in 4 events (50 free, 100 breast, 200 IM & 500 free). 

Preston Niayesh dominated the 10-year old boys division winning all 8 events he swam (50 free, 50 breast, 100 fly, 50 back, 100 breast, 50 fly, 100 back & 200 IM). His 100 breaststroke event also broke the team record of 1:19.27 that was set by Dax Korenwinder at Junior Olympics earlier this year. Preston swam 1:18.28 and is a time that currently ranks

Our other event champions, along with their age and number of events won, included: Danielle Albright (age 8 – winning 3), Owen Ansel (14-3), Malakai Chavez (7-1), Morgan Coddington (12-7), Allyson Duffy (13-1), Madison Ekizian (14-1), Jayce Ford (7-5), Skylar Ford (9-7), Nadia Garabedian (7-6), Lauren Geiger (12-2), Emily Goodbar (14-7), Kyle Grissom (13-6), Chris Hansen (14-4), Noah Haworth (13-2), Katelyn Herrera (14-2), Lily Hodges (9-1), Jackson Huckabay (9-5), Jonas Huckabay (11-2), Chrystelle Jaramillo (13-1), Michael Jia (11-4), Toby Jones (8-1), Jakob Koorey (11-1), Mallory Korenwinder (13-3), JD Koster (10-1), Colin Landweer (16-4), Conor Martin (15-1), Khloe McCarthy (13-2), Madison McCarthy (11-2), Javiar Morales (16-1), Sarid Morales (12-1), Cody Nash (15-1), Mia Newkirk (13-5), Jazmine Niayesh (8-6), Megan Nino (15-3), Chris Nolan (15-2), Madison Pallares (10-1), Nathan Rhea (16-3), Micah Ruiz (12-4), Taylor Shaw (15-1), Satoshi Shinkawa (11-1), Shoji Shinkawa (6-4), Katherine Sullivan (9-1), Mark Tiersma (12-1), Justin Warner (12-3), Scott Yribarren (18-4).

 

 

Tule Nation Tritons was the third largest team at Junior Olympic with Clovis bringing 91 swimmers and Fresno Dolphins fielding 47 swimmers. With less than half the number of swimmers as Clovis, our 43 swimmers scored 3,191 points to Clovis’s 3,853 when combining individual and relay events for both male and female 14-under events at the meet. Although our girls were behind Clovis 1,627 to their 2,446 points, our boys outscored Clovis 1,564 to their 1,407 points. When considering only individual events, TNT would have scored 8 combined points behind Clovis, 2,321 to their 2,329. Twenty-eight teams competed at the meet.

 

The team point accumulation was led by our high point winners. The brother-sister duo of Preston and Precilla Niayesh were the sole first-place high point recipients at the meet. Ten year old Preston Niayesh scored 166 points and was the event champion in 5 events: 50 fly (35.33), 50 breast (41.79), 100 breast (1:29.07), 200 IM (2:55.97) and 100 fly (1:18.15) events, while his sister, Precilla, scored 88 points and swam away with the 8-under high point by winning 50 free (38.14) and 50 back (45.77) events. Four additional swimmers scored into the 2^nd or 3^rd high point positions including Peyton Costa (2^nd 8-under boy, 77 points), JD Koster (3^rd 10-under boy, 127 points), Khloe McCarthy (2^nd 13-14 girl, 143 points), Mallory Koenwinder (3^rd 13-14 girl, 125 points), Kyle Grissom (3^rd place 13-14 boy, 124 points), and Danielle Albright (3^rd place 8-under girl, 82 points).

Although 15-over swimmers were not allowed to score at the meet, 10 additional swimmers besides Preston were event champions at the meet, and they included: Danielle Albright (50 breast, 49.26), 15-over Wes Coles (100 fly, 58.82; 400 IM, 4:55.57), Kyle Grissom (100 fly, 1:03.60), 13-14 Chris Hansen (200 breast, 2:44.20), 13-14 Mallory Korenwinder (200 breast, 2:50.24), 15-over Colin Landweer (200 free, 1:59.27; 50 free, 24.97; 100 free, 54.90) , 13-14 Khloe McCarthy (800 free, 10:02.75 & 200 back, 2:36.03), 8-under Jazmine Niayesh (50 free, 38.14 & 50 back, 45.77), 15-over Chris Nolan (200 fly, 2:14.56), 15-over Nathan Rhea (200 IM, 2:13.91; 200 breast, 2:29.58).

 

Not only did Preston lead the team in individual point accumulation, he also led the team in the number of team records broken. Preston broke a team record in 5 of the 9 events he participated in. Both prelim (41.81) and final (41.79 – 76^th fastest time in the nation) performances in the 50 breaststroke were under his pre-existing record of 42.37, and his final swim of 1:29.07 (34^th fastest in the nation) in the 100 breaststroke went under his previous record of 1:30.92 that was set in May. Preston had also set the team record in the 200 IM while at Bakersfield last month (3:02.04), and went well under that time while at Junior Olympics (2:55.97 – 178^th nationally).  The 100 butterfly was a new record for Preston. He swam 1:18.15 (85^th nationally) in the final heat to go under Micah Storey’s 1:22.34 set at Junior Olympics in 1987. Both Preston and JD Koster went under the pre-existing record while at this year’s Junior Olympics. JD’s time was 1:19.15 which is currently the 107^th fastest time in the nation. Preston’s 100 freestyle time of 1:12.98 (336^th nationally ranked time) was also a new team record for him; breaking Parker’s pre-existing record of 1:13.11 set at last year’s JO’s.

Two additional swimmers set team records while at the meet. Thirteen year old Mallory Korenwinder swam 1:17.16 (25^th fastest time nationally) in the 100 breaststroke to go under Joclyn Ford’s 1:18.74 set at Speedo Grand Challenge in 2003. Ten year old Madison McCarthy also obtained a new team record swimming 2:38.61 (320^th fastest in the nation) in the 200 free, breaking Breanne Boghosian’s previous record of 2:39.53 set at the Golden Empire Swim Team’s meet at Bakersfield in 1994.

 

Fourteen additional team records were broken in relay events, led by the 13-14 girls who cleared the record board of all preexisting records by resetting all five events. Additionally, the team of Mia Newkirk, Mallory Korenwinder, Emily Goodbar and Bre Abell swam under the Central California Swimming record in both the 200 medley and 400 medley relays.

10-under girls 200 free (2:28.36): Janessa Bringe, Danielle Albright, Precilla Niayesh, Madison McCarthy

11-12 boys 200 medley (2:21.79): Michael Jia, Alonso Escobedo, Parker Giles, Luke Dignan

13-14 girls:

·         200 free (1:56.86): Bre Abel, Allyson Duffy, Mallory Korenwinder, Mia Newkirk

·         400 free (4:19.88): Bre Abel, Emily Goodbar, Allyson Duffy, Katelyn Herrera

·         800 free (9:25.95): Allyson Duffy, Mallory Korenwinder, Khloe Mc Carthy, Katelyn Herrera

·         200 medley (2:09.73): Mia Newkirk, Mallory Korenwinder, Emily Goodbar, Bre Abell

·         400 medley (4:45.27): Mia Newkirk, Mallory Korenwinder, Emily Goodbar, Bre Abel

13-14 boys:

·         400 free (4:17.41): Kyle Grissom, Owen Ansel, Noah Haworth, Chris Hansen

·         200 medley (2:09.14): Owen Ansel, Chris Hansen, Kyle Grissom, Noah Haworth

·         400 medley (4:43.12): Owen Ansel, Chris Hansen, Kyle Grissom, Noah Haworth

15-18 boys:

·         200 free (1:43.16): Colin Landweer, Chris Nolan, Sam Hansen, Nathan Rhea

·         800 free (8:22.97): Wes Coles, Nathan Rhea, Sam Hansen, Colin Landweer

·         200 medley (1:54.94): Nathan Rhea, Sam Hansen, Chris Nolan, Colin Landweer

·         400 medley (4:08.54): Nathan Rhea, Sam Hansen, Wes Coles, Colin Landweer

The team maintained a 71% improvement rate with 12 swimmers improving all events entered. Congratulations to perfect performances from: Luke Dignan (9 of 9 events), Kyle Grissom (9 of 9), Noah Haworth (3 of 3), Michael Jia (8 of 8), Dax Korenwinder (5 of 5), Mallory Korenwinder (9 of 9), Jacqui Koster (3 of 3), JD Koster (8 of 8), Jimmy Koster (3 of 3), Paul Lerro (2 of 2), Madison McCarthy (9 of 9), and Satoshi Shinkawa (1 of 1).

Nine TNT swimmers went on to represent Central California Swimming at the Western Zone Age Group meet. Congratulations to: Allyosn Duffy, Emily Goodbar (who made her first Sectional cut while at JO’s in the 200 fly), Kyle Grissom, Katelyn Herrera, Mallory Korenwinder, JD Koster, Khloe McCarthy, Preston Niayesh and Chris Nolan.