Colin Green gets divisional time.

by Bliss Baird, Sumner Newscow correspondent — McPherson may be a long drive on a Tuesday, but for many of the 44 Wellington swimmers and their fami, the effort was worthwhile.

Two Sailfish were especially glad that they made the trip. Colin Green had been inching closer to the Districts cut in his 50 free week by week, but each impressive swim came up short – until Tuesday.

In the last dual meet of the season, Colin surged again and cut three seconds, shattering the Districts cut by 0.82! Colin could not have waited much longer to qualify, but another victorious Sailfish, Laney Dillon, took “in the nick of time” to a whole new level. The 10-year-old athlete literally could not have waited another day to cut the three seconds she needed to gain her season goal, her first Districts cut. She would age up to a faster time standard before the next meet!

Besides the first-time qualifiers, Wellington also gets to celebrate several improved Districts qualifications. Most Sailfish find it easier to qualify in the short course meter pool in which they practice, but long course qualifications receive better seeds at Districts. Michael Davis and Chance Hamel took advantage of McPherson’s 50 meter pool to improve their seeds in the 50 free for Districts.

The new District qualifiers were far from the only stars. Tuesday was a breakout meet for Eliesse McComb. The energetic eight-year-old cut 52 seconds in the 100 free and 31 in the 50! Arallai Wartick had the second greatest improvement – taking 28 seconds off her 100 free, almost 12 seconds off her 50 back, and nearly 5 seconds off her 50 free – and Aurora Young followed with a 25 second improvement in the grueling 200 IM after 4 and 3 second cuts in her backstroke and freestyle.

Lakin Dry beat his best 50 back by over 20 seconds; fifteen seconds fell off of Easton Lynnes’ 50 free and Travis Cody’s 50 fly; Chance Hamel and Cat Green made 10 second cuts in the 100 back and 400 free, respectively. In fact, far too many swimmers achieved new personal records to list them all.

League Finals – hosted by El Dorado this Friday and Saturday – is set to be the finale of a fantastic regular season. Let’s make it great!

This week’s top finishers include:

• Marisa Black (First – 15-18 Girls 100 Back; First – 100 Free; First – 400 Free)
• Travis Cody (Second – 9-10 Boys 50 Fly)
• Maizy Cornejo (Second – 11-12 Girls 50 Breast; Third – 50 Free)
• Michael Davis (Second – 9-10 Boys 50 Free; Second – 100 Free; Third – 50 Back)
• Rose Dickinson (Second – 15-18 Girls 100 Breast)
• Emma Dillon (Second – 13-14 Girls 100 Free; Second – 200 IM)
• Laney Dillon (First – 9-10 Girls 100 Free; Second – 50 Back)
• Kage Farley (Second – 11-12 Boys 50 Free; Third – 50 Back)
• Cat Green (First – 15-18 Girls 200 Free; Third – 100 Free; Third – 400 Free)
• Colin Green (First – 13-14 Boys 50 Free; First – 100 Breast; Third – 100 Free)
• Alec Gonzalez (First – 9-10 Boys 50 Back)
• Emberly Gonzalez (First – 13-14 Girls 100 Free; Second – 100 Breast)
• Macy Gonzalez (First – 11-12 Girls 50 Fly; First – 100 Free; First – 200 IM)
• Trent Haines (Third – 5-8 Boys 50 Free)
• Chance Hamel (First – 15-18 Boys 100 Back; Second – 200 IM)
• Aubrey Hunt (Third – 11-12 Girls 50 Back)
• Derick Kotchavar (Second – 13-14 Boys 200 Free; Second – 100 Free; Third – 50 Free)
• Dakota Lynnes (First – 13-14 Boys 100 Free; Second – 50 Free; Second – 200 IM)
• Jensen Lynnes (First – 11-12 Girls 50 Free; First – 50 Back; First – 50 Breast)
• Eliesse McComb (First – 5-8 Girls 100 Free; Third – 50 Free)
• Hayden Stow (First – 5-8 Boys 50 Back; Second – 50 Free; Second – 100 Free)
• Jordan Thompson (First – 15-18 Girls 50 Free; Second – 100 Back)
• Alexis Tracy (First – 15-18 Girls 100 Breast)
• Mackinze Tracy (Third – 15-18 Girls 100 Back)
• Timothy Tracy (Second – 13-14 Boys 100 Breast; Third – 100 Back)
• Arallai Wartick (Second – 5-8 Girls 50 Back; Third – 100 Free)
• Alara Wilson (Second – 5-8 Girls 100 Free; Third – 50 Back)
• Maddox Wylie (Third – 9-10 Boys 100 Free; Third – 50 Breast)
• Adrianna Young (Third – 15-18 Girls 50 Free)
• Aidan Young (First – 13-14 Boys 100 Back)
• Aurora Young (Second – 9-10 Girls 200 IM; Third – 50 Free; Third – 50 Back)

First place relays include:

• Macy Gonzalez, Aubrey Hunt, Maizy Cornejo, and Jensen Lynnes (11-12 Girls 200 Free Relay)
• Dakota Lynnes, Colin Green, Aidan Young, and Derick Kotchavar (13-14 Boys 200 Free Relay)
• Jordan Thompson, Mackinze Tracy, Rose Dickinson, and Marisa Black (15-18 Girls 200 Free Relay)
• Aubrey Hunt, Jensen Lynnes, Macy Gonzalez, and Maizy Cornejo (11-12 Girls 200 Medley Relay)
• Aidan Young, Colin Green, Dakota Lynnes, and Derick Kotchavar (13-14 Boys 200 Medley Relay)
• Marisa Black, Alexis Tracy, Mackinze Tracy, and Jordan Thompson (15-18 Girls 200 Medley Relay)

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