Despite Change of Venue, Palisades-Malibu YMCA Swimmers Excel in Commerce
Palisades-Malibu YMCA swimmers took second in their 35th annual meet held last weekend at the Commerce Natatorium. Cresenta-Cananda Y took first and San Pedro Pennisula Y took third. The meet was moved from the Y Pool at the Temescal Canyon location because Bette Williams, Executive Director of the Southern California YMCA Swim League deemed the facility unsafe and inadequate for the meet. The late change of venue left less time for entries to be received which resulted in 550 swimmers compared to 670 the previous year. Paly was represented by 82 athletes ranging in age from six to 16. For many it was their first meet. “It went extemely well,” said Meet Director Gillian Edel. “We had great volunteers, it was a little disappointing we couldn’t have it at our pool.” Two years ago in a dispute with the Y leadership, the head coach left taking all of his older swimmers, leaving the Paly team with mostly 12 and under swimmers. For the past two years under the constant leadership of Kameron Kennedy and Eric Butler, those swimmers are aging up, providing depth in the 13- and 14-year-old category, something that was missing last year. There were enough boys to have a relay team. Daniel Fujinaka, James Schetter, Jimmy De Mayo and Ben Lewenstein took second in the 200 Freestyle and Fujinaka, De Mayo, Lewenstein and Slava Yanov took third in the 200 Medley Relay. “For the first meet of the season, the influx of new swimmers did really well,” Coach Kennedy said. “Schetter in his first meet got an A time in the 50 Freestyle with a time of 26.88, which is excellent.” All the new talent coming in with our verterans stepping up, helped give us the second place finish,” Kennedy continued. “One more year of building and we will be the top team in the Y league.” Individually, Lewenstein took third in the 100 Freestyle, Fujinaka took second in the 500 Free with an AA time of 5:23.92, third in the100 Fly, and fourth in the 200 Free and 50 Free, Three relay teams of girls in the 13 and over relay category gathered 88 points taking second, third and eighth. Alexandra Edel, Kimberly and Jennifer Tartavull, Shelby Pascoe, Jessica Schem, Allison Merz, Haley Lemoine, Samantha Rosenbaum and Ana Silka joined the Y team as seven- and eight-year-olds. Now 13 and 14, they provide numerous points for the team in every event. They’ve been joined by several new swimmers Becca Ebert, Melina Vanos and Hayley Hirsch. Edel took two fourths, and three fifths, Lemoine took fourth in the 500 Free and Pascoe took third. Schem took fourth in the 200 Backstroke. Jennifer Tartavull took first in the 100 Breaststroke and second in the 200 Breast. “The meet didn’t have the same feel,” Alexandra Edel said. “It wasn’t as fun because it wasn’t at our home.” “Since it was at Commerce where we usually have Y champs,” Lemoine added. “It seemed more serious. It just wasn’t the same.” The sole 15 year-old male, Nick Kaufman swam in two events taking seventh in both. In that same age group Erica Drennan, had an excellent meet capturing first in four events: the 200 Individual Medley (2:30.39), the 100 Back (1:07.61) and the 500 Free (5:55.11). She also took second in the 50 Free, third in the 200 Backstroke, fourth in the 100 Butterfly. Hannah Haberfield took third in the 100 Free and the 200 I.M. Elizabeth Ebert took fourth in the 100 Back. The younger swimmers continue to be a mainstay of the team. “A lot of surprises and some great swims,” Coach Butler said. “We’re a young, strong team with a lot to prove. The kids showed it today: they are a class act.” Capturing second in the 200 Free Relay in the ten and unders were Nicholas Edel, Kent Sheridan, William Kim and Mac Abe. The 200 A Medley team of Edel, Nicolas Green, Alexander Landau, and Tristan Marsh took second. The B team of Michael Lukasiak, Sheridan, Kim and Abe took fourth. Edel took third in three events: the 50 Free, 50 Breast, and the 200 Free with AA times. He also got an AA time in his fourth place finish in the 100 Free. Ten and under girls Courtney Carswell, Sydney Cheong, Jayme Rossie and Kate Heck took fourth in the 200 Free relay as well as in the medley relay of Carswell, Cheong, Mardell Ramirez and Heck. In the seven- and eight-year group a new swimmer for Paly, Mardell Ramirez took first in the 50 free and 50 back with A times of (35.41) and (19.75). Nina Mortenson took fourth in the 25 Free. Kenneth Kim took third in the 25 back. Kenny Saab took fourth in the 25 Fly. Alec Wilimovsky had an outstanding meet swimming six events and placing no lower than fifth. He took second in the 25 Back, third in the 25 Free, fourth in the 100 I.M. and 50 Free and fifth in 25 Breast and 25 Fly. In the six and under Hunter Loncar took first in four events: the 25 Free (21.31), 25 Back (26.11), 25 Fly (27.71) and 50 Free (58.50). He swam to third in the 25 Breast, racking up 96 points for Paly. Jay Mortenson took a fourth in the 25 Free. On the girls side Caroline Carswell placed second in the 25 Fly and fourth in the 25 Breast and 50 Free. Catherine Wang continued her domination of her age group in the Y league by swimming to first in four events with double AA times: 50 Breast (36.90), 50 Fly (31.59), 100 Fly (1:08.23) and 100 Free (1:02.36). She took second in three events 200 I.M. (2:32.72), 50 Back (34.92) and 100 Breast (1:20.80). Wang scored 144 points for Paly in individual events. She also swam in the 200 Medley team with Sabrina Giglio, Lila Lewenstein and Mara Silka which also took a first. The 200 Free team with Wang, Olivia Kirkpatrick, Adelaide Seaman and Lowenstein took second. Stephen Anthony took second in the 200 Breast. Jordan Wilimovsky took fourth in the 200 Free. The next Y meet of the season will be the CCY meet in November.
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