http://www.redding.com/news/2011/jun/25/swimming-soars/

The past couple of years, the local swim teams have been on the rise.

But now their reputation and level of prominence is spreading. And other teams are taking note.

Sun Oaks Aquatics Racing had four swimmers lead their respective age groups after the first day of the Nystrom & Company B/A+ Trophy Meet at the Redding Aquatic Center on Saturday.

The Redding Swim Team (RAD) is tied with the Davis Aquadarts with the next highest amount of point leaders with two.

"This really shows that swimming is alive and awake in Redding," RAD director and coach Mark Wagner said.

Out of the 20 teams and 399 competitors, only four other teams have a point leader after the first day of the annual Long Course meet. Superior Stingray Swimming out of Medford/Ashland, Ore., Northern Nevada Aquatics, Reno Aquatic Club and Spare Time Aquatics Sacramento each has a point leader in the remaining age categories.

Among SOAR's four point leaders, none had a better first day than 10-year-old Connor Doran, who captured first place in all four of her events totaling 36 points.

Doran won the girls 9-10 200 meter Individual Medley in 2 minutes, 52.53 seconds along with the 50 backstroke in 37.72, 100 butterfly 1:15.34 and 100 freestyle in 1:11.16. Her 100 fly was just shy of rewriting the Sierra Nevada Swimming LC record of 1:14.33.

"She really wanted it but she was able to shave off 0.3 seconds and we're proud of her," SOAR director and coach Randy Teeters said.

The girls 9-10 age group is where SOAR really excels. Olivia Parham, Doran's 10-year-old teammate, finished runner-up in the same four events, putting her in second place with 28 points.

"Those two are so competitive that you almost have to tell them to take it easy and be 10," Teeters said. "They really challenge each other at practice but stay friends and it's good for other kids to see that."

Doran enters the final day as the favorite for the 9-10 girls with the top seed time in three of her four events. The lone event is the 50 free, which Parham is seeded ahead of Doran by 0.15 seconds.

The annual Trophy Meet is the first of three local swim meets on the season. But it's the only Long Course one, which means the competitors swim 50 meters in one lap instead of the Short Course's 25 yards.

"You see a little more stroke technique compared to the short course where some are stronger with their dives and turns," Teeters said. "The long course is truly technique and endurance."

Although the meet may be the first one on the local stage this summer, RAD's Wagner believes his team is hitting its stride with the more important Junior Olympics coming up in July.

"The kids are swimming well. Everyone is where they're supposed to be midseason like this," Wagner said. "This is just a warm-up or preview of JO's."

Among RAD's top performers is Gregory Lennon, the boys 13-14 point leader with 31. Lennon won the 13-14 boys 100 free in 1:00.53 and the 400 free in 4:40.77, finished second in the 100 back (1:09.72), third in the 200 fly (2:38.63).

Braxton Williams is the other RAD point leader in the boys 6-and-under group. The 6-year-old Williams finished first in the 50 back (1:21.36) and the 100 free (2:58.84).

In the 7-8 boys, SOAR's Dean Babb is in first with 31 points with teammate Jaxon Balken and RAD's Winn Aung tied for second with 30 points. Babb won the 50 back (43.85) and 50 breaststroke (52.44), Aung captured the 100 fly (1:55.33) and the 100 free (1:24.57), and Balken took the 200 IM (3:22.61).

For the 9-10 boys, SOAR's Holiday Rider is out in front with 34 points with wins in 200 IM (3:08.00), 50 back (40.51), 100 fly (1:29.38) and second in the 100 free (1:17.35).

Keenan Ibrahim of SOAR took the 11-12 boys 50 breast (42.45) while Parker Hill of SOAR was second in the 11-12 boys 200 breast (3:25.24).

RAD's Josiah Wyse took second in the 13-14 boys 200 breast (3:01.96) and fourth in the 100 free (1:02.18) while SOAR's Joseph Hicks finished second in the 400 free (4:47.35), and third in the 100 back (1:13.29) and the 100 free (1:01.98).

For the girls, SOAR's Ewen Brinley is first in the 6-and-under age group with teammates Lula Rider in second and Hero Rider in third.

Sarah Ludlow is fourth in the girls 9-10 with 15 points thanks to her best finish of the day taking second place in the 50 breast (51.47).

In the 11-12 girls, Adeline Kikut of SOAR is second in the point standings with 25. She won the 50 fly (34.62), edging teammates Mariah Lynch (34.67) and Julia Brandt (34.85), and took second in the 100 free (1:06.22). Lynch also finished second in the 200 IM (2:47.88). Shiree Wasko of SOAR is in third place overall and took second in the 100 back (1:17.81) and third in both the 200 IM (2:47.97) and 100 free (1:08.32).

SOAR's Molly Bateman enters the final day second in points thanks to a second-place finish in the 200 IM (2:40.11) and a third-place finish in the 100 free (1:04.50). RAD's Jamie Pincin won the 100 free (1:01.63) and fifth in the 200 IM (2:43.00) to put her tied for third in the 13-14 girls standings.

SOAR's 15-year-old Rachel Wasko won the girls 15-and-over 200 breast in 2:52.46, finished fourth in both the 200 IM (2:32.06) and 100 free (1:01.77) to sit in third place overall.

© 2011 Record Searchlight. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.