SUNSET REGION: Palo Verde sweeps Sunset titles

Palo Verde swimming coach Robert Nicholson said his team’s motto this year was “The mission is clear, a clean sweep this year.”

The Panthers, who won the 2008 boys state title and finished second in the girls meet, got closer to reaching that goal by sweeping the Sunset Region titles on Saturday at Desert Breeze.

Palo Verde’s boys team placed first with 386 points. Bishop Gorman took second (261) and Spring Valley was third (203).

Palo Verde’s girls team won with 450 points followed by Bishop Gorman (256) and Faith Lutheran (224).

“We had great swims,” Nicholson said. “The team has been really cohesive toward the end. The kids were getting great times and we just started filling slots we didn’t think we were going to get.”

Spring Valley freshmen Dylan Wolf won the Sunset Region Boys Swimmer of the Year award, and Palo Verde’s Mikayda Mills and Faith Lutheran’s Samantha Pearson split the honor for the girls.

Wolf won both the 100 butterfly with a Sunset Region record time of 50.53 seconds, and the 200 freestyle (1:40.42). Both times also qualified Wolf to earn automatic All-American status.

“For the 100 yard fly I was just trying to bring it home and keep them off me,” Wolf said. “The 200 free kind of scared me as I was behind a half-body length until the last lap. I just started closing on him (Palo Verde’s Gianni Sesto) and I beat him coming off the last turn by putting my head down and going strong.”

Mills became a four-time regional champion by winning the 50 free (24.28) and the 100 free (52.70).

“I go out as hard as I can and try to bring it home as hard as I can,” Mills said. “I’m really excited to go up to Reno, and I think I can drop some time and hopefully win.”

Pearson took the 100 back (57.53) and placed second in the 200 freestyle (1:55.78).

“I try not to think of my competition, but I saw (Palo Verde’s Alexis Mayhill) catching up to me and I was like, 'Oh, my God. Oh, my God. I have to go faster,’ ” Pearson said.

Mayhill won the 200 individual medley (2:10.76).

“During it, I just wanted to work hard and get through it as it hurt so bad but I dropped time so I was really happy with it.” Mayhill said.

Palo Verde’s Jake Priest won the boys 200 individual medley (1:55.73), Jay Sirat won the 50 freestyle (21.47) and Sesto captured the 100 backstroke (52.18) for the Panthers.

Arbor View’s Brian Martinez won the boys 100 freestyle (46.65) and 100 breaststroke (59.26).

The Meadows’ Jessie Barra won the girls 200 freestyle (1:55.44) and 500 freestyle (5:07.32).