Megan Viduya, Sierra: The Sierra standout took home the VOL 200 freestyle title and teamed up with her 400 medley relay teammates for a VOL runner-up finish. Viduya also snatched a top-25 finish in the 100-back with a 1:05.70 time, good for 23rd place.
Julia DeGroot, East Union: DeGroot finished her sophomore season as the 100 fly and 500 free VOL champion, before competing in the Sac-Joaquin Section meet and earning a 10th-place finish in the 100 fly and a 13th-place finish in the 500 free at the frosh-soph level.
Stephanie Davis, Sierra: One of the key ingredients for a successful Sierra High season, Davis participated in both the 200 medley and 200 free relay squads’ first and third place VOL finishes, respectively. Davis also finished second in the 100 back during the VOL championships.
Davina Bennett, Manteca: The Buffaloes got another impressive season from its senior standout. Bennett closed out her postseason with fourth- and sixth-places finish in the 50 free and 100 breast, respectively in the league championships. Bennett’s time of 27.02 in the section finals was good for 32nd overall in the entire section.
Niki DeGeorge, Sierra: Was a focal part of Sierra’s VOL champion 200-medley relay squad and also earned top-five league finishes in the 100 fly (third) and 100-back (fourth) in the league finale. The 200-medley squad closed out the season with an 11th-place overall finish with a time of 1:59.79.
— Jagada Chambers
Hall was one of the guiding forces for a Timberwolves girls squad that fell six points shy of Oakdale High in the Valley Oak League Championships. Hall earned a return trip to the Sac-Joaquin Section Finals, closing her season with an area-best fourth place finish in the 100 breast stroke with a time of 1:07.16. Her season finale was nearly two seconds faster than her meet winning time in the league championships.
“I think that my times got faster throughout the entire season,” Hall said of her improvements. “Because I had kind of gotten out of shape, so I had to work my way up to my fastest times. I got faster in sections because I always do better with more competition.
“And there were some really great swimmers there.”
Hall set up a solid run through the section trials and finals by dominating in the league championship meet. The junior standout earned league championships in the 200 individual medley and the 100 breast as well as a 200-medley relay championship with teammates Christina Ngo, Stephanie Davis and Niki DeGeorge. Hall also teamed up with Ngo, Davis and Megan Viduya for a runner up finish in the 400 free relay.
“I really enjoy both, but the one of the two that is most fun is obviously swimming in the relays,” Hall said. “It is always so much fun cheering on your teammates. Competing with the girls is truly enjoyable.”
The 200-medley relay squad earned a respectable 11th place-finish in the sections, completing the relay in 1:59.79, some two seconds faster than their VOL meet championship time. Hall also grabbed a top-25 finish in the 200 IM, closing out her third section meet event in 2:22.91.
Hall has continued to improve over her first three seasons as a Timberwolf, but now she will have to make even steeper climbs with a tenacious Oakdale High program returning the bulk of its VOL champion girls squad.
“I don’t know if we are going to be able to catch Oakdale,” Hall said of the defending champs. “It really depends on how hard the swimmers on our team are willing to work. I think that it’s possible if we put our minds to it.
“They really wanted it this year and that’s why they got it.”
