The Manteca Dolphins Swim Team recently enjoyed its best showing at the Sacramento Valley Meet of Champions in the last decade.
Several team records fell in the 24th annual event held at Elk Grove Aquatic Center on Aug. 1-2. The Dolphins placed 31st in combined scoring with 157 points out of the 51 clubs represented. Elk Grove Piranhas (1,972) swept the boys, girls and combined team titles. The Ripon Sea Lions were 31st with 135.5 points.
Daniela Zendejas was among Manteca’s top points producers, and she set two new program records in the 9-10 girls division. She made the 25-yard backstroke final, placing 13th in 17.60 seconds and clocked a record time of 15.91 in the 25 butterfly preliminaries.
Zendejas also qualified for the 100 individual medley final, taking sixth in 1 minute, 21.30 seconds; and the 50 freestyle final, finishing 14th in 31.70.
Bayan Ballew and Dominic Bossen left their marks in the boys 15-18 division.
Ballew took fourth in the 50 freestyle final with a new Dolphins record of 22.11, and 16th in the 100 free (52.33).
Bossen owns the new 100 breaststroke record of 1:03.37 after he took sixth in the final.
The Dolphins got big points from Ballew and Bossen in two relays. They were joined by Davis Duff and Clayton Fielder for a fifth-place finish in the 200 free (1:36.87). Alex Freeman combined with Bayan, Bossen and Fielder for the 200 medley, and they clocked the sixth best time (1:53.25).
Ann Story’s season best in the girls 17-18 backstroke (1:14.28) is a new team record, and Valentino Martinez set the new mark in the boys 6-under backstroke (26.24) last month. In the Meet of Champions, Martinez placed ninth in the 25 back final in 26.49.
McKenzie Reyes advanced to four finals in girls 11-12 and paced the Dolphins with 34 points scored in individual events. She took seventh in the 50 free (28.04), seventh in the 50 breast (36.99), 11th in the 100 free (1:03.47) and 13th in the 100 individual medley (1:13.43).
Other Dolphins finalists: Mason Bossen in boys 13-14 100 IM (16th, 1:04.10) and 50 back (14th, 30.0), Addie Danel in girls 13-14 100 IM (16th, 1:13.22), Jacob Delk in boys 7-8 25 back (11th, 20.46), Julianne Krueger in girls 6-under 25 back (12th, 26.81) and Alexia Nuno in girls 13-14 50 fly (14th, 29.89).
The Ripon Sea Lions were spearheaded by Lelija Silva, who amassed 57.5 points in the girls 9-10 division. She tied for the win in the 25 breast final at 16.77 seconds. She was also fourth in the 25 back (17.23), seventh in the 100 IM (1:20.08) and seventh in the 25 fly (15.55).
Zane Silva gave the Sea Lions a big boost with his third-place finish in the boys 7-8 25 back final in 18.65. He added a 13th place in the 25 fly (18.91).
The girls 13-14 200 medley relay quartet of RaeLynn Guthmiller, Alivia Minton, McKenzie Clayton, Brealle Crockett took 10th in 2:24.50.
In girls 11-12, Sara Davis finished sixth in the 100 IM (1:11.55) and 10th in the 50 breast (36.67). Violet Springer chipped in a ninth-place finish in the girls 6-under 25 free (20.14), and James Higgins was seventh in the boys 7-8 25 back (21.37).
