ELK GROVE — Ripon High took second in the junior varsity boys and third in the junior varsity girls in the Sac-Joaquin Section Swimming Championships on Friday at the Elk Grove Aquatics Center.
Pickings were slim, however, in the varsity division with just three local entrants.
“This year was tough for the varsity,” Ripon coach Erik Zador said. “The times for section qualifying got really fast. This was the first year it was at Elk Grove. It has been at Tokay probably since the 70s and it was there in the 90s when I went through. It has been in one location for a very long time.
“Maybe moving to a new facility they made some adjustments on the times, because they weren’t sure how things were going to work out. Times were a lot faster, so there were a lot less qualifiers. The times are a little slower for next year, so we will have a few more kids attending. Coming back on the second day at the varsity level is a fete in itself. If you make the top 16 that is a huge accomplishment.”
Ripon placed two girls varsity relay teams with the 200 freestyle relay of Mia Sickler-Lopez, Danica Brar, Madeline Staley and Samantha Scheid finishing ninth at 1 minute, 45.25 seconds and the 200 medley relay of Sickler-Lopez, Brar, Staley and Chloe Price finishing 11th (1:55.25).
Brar was 11th in the girls 100 breaststroke (1:07.56) and Staley was 13th in the girls 100 freestyle (54.49).
“I think I did pretty well,” Brar said. “I was pleased with how it went.
“I was close to my best time in the 100 breast.”
Ripon’s Michael Chavez was the lone boys varsity competitor and was 10th in the 100 freestyle (47.81).
“This was great,” Chavez said. “I did a lot better than last year’s sections which was a disappointment but this turned our pretty good.”
In junior varsity competition, Ripon Christian’s Faith Fasani was first in the 50 freestyle (24.47) and second in the 100 freestyle (54.51).
“This was a good experience,” Fasani said. “I won the 50 free and in the 100 I dropped a second off of my time. It felt really good.
“I like to see all the really fast swimmers here. It was really different than the regular season.”
The Ripon girls 200 medley relay of Crystallyn Tran, Hailey Hoy, Valerie Chun, Adriana Dorn finished third (1:55.70) as did Lathrop’s Victoria Guzman in the 500 freestyle (5:21.30).
“I feel pretty good after that 500,” Guzman said, “I dropped eight seconds from two days ago.”
Sierra’s Bayan Ballew was fourth in the boys 50 freestyle (22.90) and sixth in the 100 free (50.11).
“When I came in I was seeded 17th in 100 free,” Ballew said. “I had the third best qualifying time but finished sixth.
“That was a little disappointing but dropping 11 places overall is good enough.”
Sierra’s Keira Brink was fourth in the 50 free (25.49) and 11th in the 100 free (56.70).
“I’m really proud of myself,” Brink said. “I got my best times in both of my races.”
Sierra coach Dave Breitenbucher was pleased with his young charges performances.
“The kids did well,” Breitenbucher said. “Both Keira and Bayan had PRs in most of their races. Bayan did better in his 100 and Keira moved up in her events.”
“We are really pleased with the results today. They had a good meet.”
Other local junior varsity competitors from Ripon were the boys 200 free relay (Brody Biedermann, Nathan Selna, Ben Rogers, Nathan Lee, fourth, 1:34.18); Chun (fifth, girls 100 butterfly, 59.47; seventh, 200 freestyle, 2:00.46); Dorn (10th, girls 50 free, 26.01; 14th, 100 backstroke, 1:06.10) and Biedermann (14th, boys 100 backstroke, 1:00.18; 16th, 100 butterfly 59.57).
“We won them both last year,” Erik Zador said of the 2022 junior varsity boys and girls championships. “But we had more frosh-soph last year, too.
“For a small school like we have doing well in Division III is always a huge accomplishment. Christian Brothers, Dixon and St. Mary’s are all good D III programs. We’re excited.”
