Published: July 04, 2009 10:07 pm      

Piranhas splash in Lufkin

The Palestine YMCA Piranhas Swim Team were back in Lufkin last Saturday for the Lufkin Summer Swim League Meet at the Boys and Girls Club Lufkin Swim Center. The 25 yard eight-lane indoor pool swimming meet was hosted by the East Texas Sharks.

“This past week the kids have really been concentrating on improving their efficiency in the water,” said Coach Kathrine Newton. “Nearly everyone bettered their times in at least one event. In fact, that ‘one event’ across the board was butterfly.”

“I am especially pleased with Eli West’s performance.” Newton noted. “Eli has also been staying after practice to work on his starts and his turns.”

West 13, surpassed his previous best times in 50 yard backstroke (42:08) by a second, in 50 yard breaststroke (51.64) by five seconds, and in 50 yard butterfly (42.43) by six seconds.

Hailee Bain, 11, also showed significant improvement in 50 yard backstroke (53.79) by nearly two seconds and in 50 yard butterfly (58.50) by an impressive seven seconds.

The Piranhas will be taking the Fourth of July weekend off, but will return to Nacogdoches for the Champs Meet. All of the Palestine swimmers have qualified for this special meet.

At Champs, teams will be separated into large team and small team divisions as determined by the number of swimmers on the team roster. Each division will be awarded medals for 1st through 8th places and ribbons will be given for 9th through 16th places. The top sixteen overall times in each event will qualify for the Summer Swim League All-Stars Meet in Lufkin on July 18.

Lufkin Summer Swim Meet Results (G=gold time, S-silver time, B=bronze time, number=placement in time category):

• 7 & 8 Girls — Madison Crader 25 free (29.61) B-3, 25 back (28.53) S-3, 25 breast (33.45) B-1, 25 fly (29.62) S-2; Destiny Filer 25 free (24.15) S-5, 25 back (33.50) S-5, 50 breast (33.71), 50 fly (37.49).

• 9 & 10 Girls — Alexa Borstad 25 free (22.97) B-7, 25 back (27.20) B-7, 25 breast (26.91) B-1, 25 fly (26.05) S-4.

• 9 & 10 Boys — Ian West 25 fly (42.38) B-5.

• 11 & 12 Girls — Hailee Bain 50 free (45.91) B-6, 50 back (53.79) B-7, 50 fly (58.50) B-3.

• 13 & 14 Girls — Taylor Edwards 50 free (35.31) S-3, 50 back (41.14) S-1, 50 fly (39.5) S-1; Britni Haley 50 free (30.98) S-1, 50 back (36.74) G-3, 50 breast (38.17) G-2.

• 13 & 14 Boys — Yash Gandhi 50 free (50.17) B-5, 50 back (55.53) B-2, 50 fly (1:03.24) B-2; Eli West 50 free (33.57) S-2, 50 back (42.08) S-3, 50 breast (51.64) B-3, 50 fly (42.43) S-2.

• 15 & over Boys — Brandon Miller 100 back (1:49.24) 7 over-all, 100 breast (1:54.76) 6 over-all, 100 fly (1:43.61) 5 over-all.