SUNSET REGION: Palo Verde boys, girls thrive again
It was business as usual for the Palo Verde boys and girls swim teams, as both won Sunset Region titles Saturday at the Heritage Pool in Henderson.
The Panthers boys team scored 494½ points and took first for the 10th year in a row. Bishop Gorman was second with 211 points and Durango third with 208½.
Palo Verde’s girls team scored 362 points to win their fourth straight region title, easily finishing ahead of second-place Gorman (330) and third-pace Sierra Vista (193).
“This year was going to be tight with the girls, especially against Gorman, but we knew we would dominate with the boys,” Palo Verde coach Bob Nicholson said. “They pulled it together, and we realized after the preliminaries that they were going to swim well. We’re really in a good position, we’re very pleased with them, and we’re going for all the marbles.”
Palo Verde’s Gianni Sesto claimed the boys Sunset Swimmer of the Year honors after he took the 100-yard freestyle in 45.82 seconds and the 100 backstroke in 51.87.
“I knew Brian Martinez for Arbor View and Ian Sinclair for Bishop Gorman were going to be gunning for me, and I was a little bit scared,” Sesto said of the 100 freestyle race. “I saw Brian Martinez coming down the home straightaway, and I managed to pull away.”
Sesto’s teammate Andrew Chin finished second in the 100 backstroke in 52.95 seconds.
“I knew if Andrew was there with me on my first 50 (yards) that he can always bring it back on the second 50 like I can,” Sesto said. “For us to come in first and second as teammates going to state, I’m really excited.”
Cody Miller also won two events for Palo Verde’s boys, placing first in the 200 individual medley (1:54.49) and the 100 breaststroke (57.75). Palo Verde’s other individual boys winner was Robbie Hill, who won the 50 freestyle in 21.66.
The Panthers also won all three relays.
Spring Valley’s Dylan Wolf won the 200 freestyle (1:54.49) and 100 butterfly (51.48)
On the girls side, Mikayda Mills won the 50 freestyle (23.97) and 100 freestyle (52.15), and Alexis Mayhall won the 100 backstroke (57.84) to lead the Panthers to the title. Palo Verde also won two of three relays.
Bishop Gorman freshman Olivia Barker won the girls Swimmer of the Year award after winning the 100 butterfly in 56.38 and placing second in the 50 freestyle (24.47) behind Palo Verde’s Mills.
“The fly is my best stroke, and I was able to beat my time from Thursday by over a second,” Barker said. “I’m excited because it’s my first year and I really have never had an experience like this.”
The Meadows’ Jessie Barra won the 200 freestyle in 1:56.34 and the 500 freestyle in 5:06.14.
Diving coaches Josh Hartman (boys) and Megan Pristash (girls) took Sunset Coach of the Year honors.
200 medley relay–Palo Verde 1:37.29; Durango 1:42.50; Spring Valley 1:42.74. 200 free–Wolf, Spr, 1:42.78; Sinclair, Gor, 1:43.29; DuVall, SR, 1:44.18. 200 IM–Miller, Pal, 1:54.49; Wieser, Bon, 1:57.59; Eisendrath, Dur, 1:58.19. 50 free–Hill, Pal, 21.66; Kulwin, Gor, 21.77; Dangleis, Dur, 22.85. Diving–Falkner, AV, 436.7; Niebuhr, FL, 351.2; Jackson, AV, 242.3. 100 fly–Wolf, Spr, 51.48; Beck, Spr, 52.59; Kulwin, Gor, 52.9. 100 free–Sesto, Pal, 45.82; Martinez, AV, 47.02; Sinclair, Gor, 47.55. 500 free–DuVall, SR, 4:42.3; Gravley, Cen, 4:48.32; Henley, Pal, 4:51.04. 200 free relay–Palo Verde 1:29.69; Durango 1:30.8; Gorman 1:31.42. 100 backstroke–Sesto, Pal, 51.87; Chin, Pal, 52.95; Beck, Spr, 53.06. 100 breaststroke–Miller, Pal, 57.75; Martinez, AV, 58.54; Wieser, Bon, 1:01.12. 400 free relay–Palo Verde 3:17.42; Gorman 3:19.97; Spring Valley 3:27.81.
200 medley relay–Palo Verde 1:53.67; Gorman 1:55.98; Durango 2:01.47. 200 free–Barra, Mea, 1:56.34; Garcia, SR, 2:00.16; Smith, Sie, 2:01.75. 200 IM–Boland, Gor, 2:09.06; Mayhall, Pal, 2:10.09; Guerrero, Cim, 2:11.4. 50 free–Mills, Pal, 23.97; Barker, Gor, 24.47; Bergo, SR, 26.35. Diving–Cortney, Cim, 507.05; Ebia, Cim, 354.20; Watkins, AV, 304. 100 fly–Barker, Gor, 56.38; Miller, SR, 1:00.46; Taylor, FL, 1:01.7. 100 free–Mills, Pal, 52.15; Lipkowitz, Cen, 54.8; Englestead, Gor, 54.9. 500 free–Barra, Mea, 5:06.14; Garcia, SR, 5:16.72; Lipkowitz, Cen, 5:20.77. 200 free relay–Gorman 1:43.71; Palo Verde 1:46.05; Sierra Vista 1:47.91. 100 backstroke–Mayhall, Pal, 57.84; Lin, Cim, 1:01.81; Miller, SR, 1:04.43. 100 breaststroke–Englestead, Gor, 1:06.71; Crawford, Mea, 1:07.02; Boland, Gor, 1:07.2. 400 free relay–Palo Verde 3:49.92; Shadow Ridge 3:55.97; Centennial 3:59.69.
