Senior Sectionals

    Eight Crocs attended the NW Speedo Sectional meet last weekend held in Federal Way, WA. This is the highest level of competition for our team this short course season, and our athletes capped off terrific years with fabulous swims. With 600 of the fastest athletes from around the Northwest in attendance, our kids rose to the challenge and did what they’ve done all season-raced hard!

    Makena Mamola takes top billing for the weekend. Makena qualified for the prestigious Futures Championships this summer for the first time in 4 different events, breaking team records in the 1000 free and 1650 free along the way. Makena placed top-16 in 4 events: 8th place in the mile, 9th in the 1000 free, 12th in the 500 free, and 15th in the 200 fly-all in best time fashion! Quinn Taylor had just three events, but made incredible strides in all 3 races. Quinn also qualified for the Futures meet for the first time with an incredible 100 breaststroke that places her second on the CAST all time top-10 performer list, and netted 22nd place overall. She also had big time drops in the 50 free and 200 IM! Jake Sachtjen earned a clean sweep of best times, with drops in the 1000 free, 200 free, 500 free, and 1650. Jake is now the 3rd fastest performer in team history in the 1650, and placed 31st and 32nd respectively in the meet in the 1000 and 1650, not very far from scoring points! Michael Mamola also had a stellar meet in the distance events, earning PR’s in the 500 free, 200 fly, and 1650. Michael’s 1650 certainly highlighted his performances as he made racing adjustments throughout the meet, and was rewarded with a sub-17:00 mile, placing him squarely in 6th in his debut on the team performer list! Elishka Janout capped an excellent season with 3 best times in her 4 races. While Elishka has starred in the sprints all year and dropped substantial time last weekend in the 100 free and 100 breast, her best performance may have been her 8 second drop and 10th performer place in the 400 IM! Demi Blaylock also had 3 personal bests out of her 4 races, with drops in the 100 fly, 200 breast, and 100 breast. Her 200 breast was an incredible race where she took out out as fast as she could and held on for dear life for a well-earned drop. Pema Anain had new bests in her 500 freestyle and her 1000 free, moving up the performer lists in both. Pema swam right on her previous bests in the 200 free and the mile; while the mile wasn’t a best, she gave a great effort and was faster than she’d ever been in the 1000 and did her utmost to hang on, still netting 7th place on the all-time performance list. Riley Taylor had an excellent weekend for her backstroke, where she dropped in the 200, narrowly missing finals, and went season-bests in the 100 back as well as the 100 fly. While her IM’s didn’t pop as much as we’d hoped, her underwater work was top notch-her underwater dolphin kicks carried her right up with the fastest swimmers at the meet!

    Thanks to our eight athletes, who did a great job preparing for the meet and doing everything in their power during the competition to swim fast-it was a blast to coach such a good weekend of swimming!