July 25th was a great day to be a Sailfish. Proving that last year’s championship victory was just the beginning, the McArthur Family YMCA Sailfish brought home the big trophy again last weekend, racking up a definitive 500-plus point win in the 2009 YMCA of Florida’s First Coast (YFFC) Swimming Championships at the Barco-Newton Family YMCA in Orange Park.
The action started on a sizzling Friday afternoon as the 6-and-under and 8-and-under swimmers hit the water. The smallest Sailfish stood tall, reached for the wall, and delivered a 200-point lead to their older teammates at the end of the day. 8-and-under girls Ciera Wilcox and Taylor Radcliffe dominated the field, setting three meet records (Wilcox – 100 Individual Medley and 25-yard Breaststroke; Radcliffe – 25-yard freestyle), and finishing first and second respectively in the high-points awards for their age group. 8-and-under boys Evan Crayton (25 Freestyle) and Jonah Braeger (100 IM) added their own meet records, and Crayton brought home the high points award for the 8-and-under boys. The 8-and-under girls’ Freestyle (Wilcox, Annie Tanner, Haylie Wallace, and Radcliffe) and Medley (Radcliffe, Julia Cox, Wilcox, and Wallace) relay teams finished the day with first place finishes and meet records.
The 10-and-under, 11-12, 13-14, and Senior swimmers took the pool by storm the next day. Determined to build their lead, the Sailfish continued to turn in personal bests and hard-fought finishes across the board. Maisie Gooch set a meet record in the 10-and-under 50 Backstroke and brought home the high points runner-up trophy. Not to be outdone by their younger counterparts, the 10-and-under girls’ Freestyle relay team (Lexie Sutton, Lindsey DeLille, Faith Leipau, and Gooch) outstroked the competition and set another meet record.
11-12 girls Jasmine Duke (50 Freestyle) and Colette Murphy (50 Breastroke) set meet records, and Duke tied with teammate Zoe Stein for the 11-12 girls’ high-point runner-up award. 13-year-old Juan Cardenas turned in another strong performance, setting a meet record in the 200 IM.
Ten Sailfish swimmers placed in the top three in all of their individual events. Jared Smith, Stein, Katy Weaver, and Thomas Seidel ended the day with three medals each, joining record-setters Wilcox, Radcliffe, Crayton, Gooch, Duke, and Cardenas.
Finishing the season in grand style, Sailfish swimmers chalked up a total of 10 A times, 32 BB times and 48 B times. From the first swimmers in the water to the last, each member of the team competed with pride, honor, and determination, giving their all to bring victory to the McArthur Family YMCA. It was, indeed, not only one but two great days to be a Sailfish. Of course, if you ask any one of them, they will say EVERY day is a great day to be a Sailfish!
