The Sleepy Hollow Sea Lions took first place in the Marin Swim League championships this past Saturday, squeaking past the Scott Valley Sea Serpents 2090 to 2063.
In the season’s penultimate weekend, the Sea Serpents defeated the Sea Lions in a dual meet, marking the first time any team defeated the Sea Lions in 13 years. While the Sea Lions grabbed the season’s top prize, they won’t likely go another 13 years without losing with the Sea Serpents nipping at their fins.
The real story for San Rafael swimmers and their families was the lofty finish of the Terra Linda Orcas, who nabbed fourth place in the ten-team league with 958 points. The Orcas only lost to four teams this season: the Sea Lions, the Sea Serpents, the Strawberry Seals and the Rolling Hills Stingrays. The Seals finished in third place with 1292 points and the Stingrays came in fifth and almost 200 points behind the Orcas. Having lost to the Stingrays during the season, it was big surprise for the Orcas to convincingly beat the Stingrays at the championships.
The other San Rafael teams didn’t fare quite so well with the Lucas Valley Lightning, Swimarin and the Marinwood Waterdevils finishing sixth, ninth and tenth respectively. Going against teams like those at the top of the league is extremely difficult because many of the swimmers from other clubs swim year round, while most of the San Rafael swimmers swim only during the Marin Swim League season.
One great sign for the Orca’s future is the strong showing of their youngest swimmers. The 8 and Under Girls finished in four of the top 16 spots in freestyle.
Orca Girls 8 & Under top 16 performers include:
Emma Keith-Brown: Freestyle (4), Backstroke (1), Butterfly (4)
Mia Sealander: Freestyle (8), Butterfly (6)
Thalia Yamini: Freestyle (15), Breaststroke (3), Butterfly (14)
Claire Markowitz: Backstroke (6), Butterfly (12)
Nicole Chong: Backstroke (8)
Since Yamini and Chong are still only 7 years old, they will likely dominate this category in 2013.
More standout Orca performances include but weren’t limited to:
Arther Calvi: Backstroke (16)
Tristan Barnes: Breaststroke (8), IM (13)
Wyatt Dunn: Breaststroke (12)
Joseph Ferrara: Freestyle (8), Backstroke (11), Butterfly (8)
Sophie Keith-Brown: Freestyle (7), Backstroke (8), IM (12)
Jonah Albers: Freestyle (2), Backstroke (2), & Butterfly (2)
Deven Lyons: Butterfly (11)
Nicolette Jasko: Breaststroke (12)
Keanna Levin: Freestyle (15), Butterfly (15)
Skylar Merwin: Freestyle (15), Backstroke (4), Butterfly (15)
Natalie Vinson: Freestyle (16), Breaststroke (10), Butterfly (10)
Kaelin Pallavicini: Breaststroke (16)
Zach Kent: Freestyle (2), Breaststroke (3), Butterfly (2)
Nathan Peacock: Freestyle (14), Breaststoke (11), IM (15)
Tai Hallstein: Freestyle (2), Butterfly (1), IM (2)
Natalie Wambach: Freestyle (6), Breaststroke (2), IM (5)
Katie Charton: Backstroke (3), Butterfly (4), IM (6)
Morgan Saling: Breaststroke (9)
Emma Pedlar: Breaststroke (13)
Madalyn Kenney: Breaststroke (14)
Brooke Wolford: Freestyle (8)
Hope Garrett: Freestyle (11), Backstroke (5), Butterfly (6)
Drew Dilsworth: Freestyle (4), Backstroke (5), Butterfly (4)
Carson Dilsworth: Backstroke (16), Butterfly (12)
Conner Love: Freestyle (6), Breaststroke (10), IM (11)
Daniel Farbman: Breaststroke (3), IM (12)
Congratulations to all the Orca swimmers and coaches for a great 2012 season! We’ll look forward to seeing you back in the pool next year, if not before.
I'd also like to give a big thank you to Norm Levin of Natural Portraits and Events for all his great camera work this year.
