WICKHAM WINS CHAMPIONSHIP, TRAVIS MAKES NATIONAL CUT AT CIF CHAMPS
This past week several Piranha trained swimmers traveled to Riverside to compete in the 2013 Southern Section CIF Championships. Piranha High School swimmers participated in Division 2 and Division 4 prelims and finals.
The first event of the day at Division 2 finals saw the team of Faith Travis, Alexa Wasserman, Sophie MacEwen, and Kat Wickham representing Palm Springs High School, win the CIF Championship in a very close race. Kat Wickham anchored the relay in a 23.7 showing outstanding speed and running down two teams that were ahead. Not 10 minutes later Kat stepped up and won the girls 200 free in a lifetime best and another close race. Kat also finished 4th in the 500 free after swimming a lifetime best in prelims.
CIF times achieved count for USA Swimming and Junior Faith Travis took full advantage of that. Her second place finish in the 100 back qualified her for USA Swimming Winter Nationals in December, passing the Winter Junior National Time standard. Faith was also part of an exciting 100 fly where the Piranhas took third and fourth. Sophomore Shelby Andrade representing Xavier finished 3rd while Faith took 4th, both best times. Shelby Andrade also made finals in the 100 breast where she took 5th with a 1:06.9, also a lifetime best.
The four Piranha Senior members that are graduating High School this year are swimmers we can all look up to. Each is a long time Piranha Swimmer that has made us proud over the years. Indira Ceranic finished in the Championship final of both the 50 and 100 free. Neither swim was a best time, but she also made the decision to not taper for this meet. Next month Indira will be traveling back "home" to swim at the Bosnian Nationals Championships and make an effort to qualify for their World Championship Team. Then Indira is off to represent Arizona State University next fall. NYU bound Lindsey Letellier, swimming for Div 4 Desert Christian, finished 4th in both the 200 and 500 free after swimming best times in both events at prelims. Xavier Senior Perrine Gaertner, heading to Boise State next year, qualified for CIF in the 100 Breast after swimming a lifetime best at the DVL meet. Nima Rohani, a Palm Springs Senior that has yet to make his college decision, lead off the PSHS 200 free relay at CIF in a lifetime best.
Alexa Wasserman, a Junior at PSHS, earned a trip to the consolation finals in both the 100 breast and 200 IM. Her times of 2:09 and 1:09 were both far ahead of the 2:13 and 1:11 she swam at this same meet last year and Alexa was a big part of the two PSHS relays that were in the Championship final. Alissah Koochaki, a Sophomore at PSHS, swam the 500 free and lead off the consolation finalists PSHS 200 free relay while Xavier Sophomore Lexie Letellier lead off the Xavier 200 medley relay in a lifetime best lead off. Congratulations to the Palm Springs High School girls team and their coaches, one of which is our own Coach Ashley, for their fourth place finish in the Division 2 team scoring.
We are proud of our Piranha High School swimmers. Between the League Championships and CIF our swimmers swam at 92% lifetime bests. As our team continues to improve, so will the number of CIF qualifiers. The Piranhas have a longtime history of producing the most CIF qualifiers, point scorers, and League and CIF Champions in this valley and we extended our streak one more year. #piranhapride
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