Wellington assistant swim team coach Cindy Tracy is surrounded by young Sailfish swimmers during meet with Twin Rivers.

By Bliss Baird, Sumner Newscow correspondent —  The theme of Tuesday night’s dual between the Wellington Sailfish and the Twin Rivers Club was lightning —  the kind that frightens swimmers and frustrates coaches forced a brief interlude with less than seven events to go in the night.

Fortunately, the storm headed in the opposite direction, and the meet was able to conclude without further delay. That was not the first lightning of the night, however. The kind that excites swimmers and delights coaches had already blazed during the 50 free. Eighty-one percent of competitors who entered with a time in the event improved it!

Laney Dillon slashed over 25 seconds from a race that takes only about a minute. Other electrifying swims include 22-second drops by Ralphie Cornejo, Hayden Stow, and Maddox Miller, a 20-second improvement by Alara Wilson, and 15-second cuts by Jaxson Irey-Hurt and Maizy Cornejo.

In addition to a high percentage of time cuts, the 50 Free had flashes of Districts qualifications. Michael Davis cut more than five seconds to clinch his first Districts cut, one of his season goals! In one of her many beautiful swims, Emma Dillon seized her first districts cut of the season. Emberly Gonzalez, Chance Hamel, and Mackinze Tracy also beat the time standard they had satisfied last year, proving that 2016 will be another exciting season, and Jensen Lynnes, Nash Oswald, and Jordan Thompson reaffirmed the qualification they earned last week at Derby.

If smoking swims that led to massive time cuts and numerous Districts qualifications comprised the lightning of the 50 free, Wellington’s nine new swimmers invoked the thunder. Parents, coaches, friends, and timers cheered loudly as Megan Davis, Lakin Dry, Trent Haines, Rome Hunt, Easton Lynnes, Eleanor Miller, Emarri Miller, Isaiah Winger, and Shi Wise furthered their blossoming careers with impressive performances in swimming’s simplest event, an indication of greater successes to come.

The 50 free is a popular event for obvious reasons. Fifty meters is the shortest length, minimizing the duration of pain, and freestyle is the least regulated stroke, reducing the risk of disqualification. Unfortunately, points are only awarded through third place, so entering every swimmer who wants to participate in this jewel of a race is counterproductive.

Wellington has many swimmers who deserve recognition for their willingness to suffer through the more onerous events for the team’s sake. Rose Dickinson, Emma, Laney, and Tanner Dillon, Jewels Farley, Cat and Colin Green, Chance Hamel, Derick Kotchavar, Jensen Lynnes, Quinn McCue, Nash Oswald, Hayden Stow and Aurora Young dared to swim at least one race where they were the only Wellington swimmer in their age group.

In many cases, their bravery paid off with high places. For some swimmers, the rewards of participating in a more sophisticated or grueling (or both!) race were even greater. While swimmers traditionally achieve their first post-season qualification in the 50 free and then expand their repertoire, Quinn McCue cut right to the chase, making his first Districts cut of the year in – of all things – the 100 fly, one of the least liked races in all of swimming!

Nash Oswald also excelled with fly. He beat the time standard for the 50 again this week and achieved a new cut in the 200 IM or Individual Medley, another infamous race. What’s so bad about it, really? It’s only a 50 fly…plus a 50 back…plus a 50 breast…plus a 50 free…without stopping and with seemingly infinite possibilities for disqualification! By perfecting the details of a two-minute race, Emberly Gonzalez squeezed in qualification in the 100 breast by 0.17 seconds. Jensen Lynnes once again swam the 50 back in District-qualifying fashion.

Other major time cuts:

• Alysa Stewart – 100 Free (1:50.34)
• Alara Wilson – 100 Free (1:26.53)
• Laney Dillon – 100 Free (1:04.99)
• Maddox Miller – 50 Back (32.99); 100 Free (30.00)
• Alec Gonzalez – 100 Free (1:02.46)
• Arallai Wartick – 100 Free (58.91)
• Maizy Cornejo – 100 Free (41.80)
• Michael Davis – 100 Free (33.30)

This week’s top finishers were:

• Ralphie Cornejo (Second – 9-10 Boys 100 Free; Third – 50 Free)
• Michael Davis (First – 9-10 Boys 100 Free; Second – 50 Free; Third – 50 Back)
• Rose Dickinson (Second – 15-18 Girls 100 Breast)
• Emma Dillon (Third – 13-14 Girls 50 Free; Third –100 Free; Third – 200 IM)
• Laney Dillon (Second – 9-10 Girls 50 Free; Second – 50 Back; Second – 100 Free)
• Jewels Farley (Second – 13-14 Girls 200 Free)
• Kage Farley (First – 11-12 Boys 50 Back; Second – 50 Free; Third -100 Free)
• Alec Gonzalez (Second – 9-10 Boys 50 Back)
• Emberly Gonzalez (First – 13-14 Girls 100 Free; First – 100 Breast; Second – 50 Free)
• Cat Green (Second – 15-18 Girls 200 Free; Second – 100 Free; Second – 400 Free)
• Colin Green (Second – 13-14 Boys 100 Breast)
• Trent Haines (Third – 5-8 Boys 50 Free)
• Chance Hamel (Second – 15-18 Boys 200 IM; Third – 50 Free; Third – 100 Breast)
• Jaxson Irey-Hurt (Second – 11-12 Boys 50 Back)
• Derick Kotchavar (Second – 13-14 Boys 50 Free; Third – 200 Free; Third – 100 Free)
• Dakota Lynnes (Second – 13-14 Boys 100 Free; Third – 50 Free; Third – 200 IM)
• Jensen Lynnes (First – 11-12 Girls 50 Free; First – 50 Back; First – 200 IM)
• Eliesse McComb (First – 5-8 Girls 50 Free; Third – 100 Free)
• Quinn McCue (Second – 13-14 Boys 100 Fly; Second – 400 Free)
• Nash Oswald (First – 9-10 Boys 50 Free; First – 50 Fly; First – 200 IM)
• Hayden Stow (First – 5-8 Boys 50 Free; First – 50 Back; Second – 100 Free)
• Jordan Thompson (First – 15-18 Girls 100 Free; Second – 100 Back; Third – 50 Free)
• Arallai Wartick (Second – 5-8 Girls 50 Back)
• Alara Wilson (First – 5-8 Girls 50 Back; First – 100 Free; Second – 50 Free)
• Maddox Wylie (First – 9-10 Boys 50 Breast; Third – 100 Free)
• Makenna Wylie (Third – 9-10 Girls 50 Free)
• Aidan Young (Third – 13-14 Boys 100 Back)
• Aurora Young (First – 9-10 Girls 50 Free; Third – 50 Back; Third – 200 IM)

First-place relay finishes:

• Michael Davis, Maddox Wylie, Alec Gonzalez, Nash Oswald (9-10 Boys 200 Free)
• Nash Oswald, Maddox Wylie, Michael Davis, Alec Gonzalez (9-10 Boys 200 Medley)

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