The Cortez Leopard Sharks youth swimming team took sixth place out of 22 teams and set a pool record at the Montrose Open last weekend.
The swimming meet was a meters sanctioned event. The Leopard Sharks totaled 608 points as a team to come in sixth. The hometown Montrose Marlins won the meet with 4,830.5 points.
Eight-year-old Trenton Bagge led the Leopard Sharks with four first-place finishes, including a win in the 8U boys 25-freestyle race. His time of 19.36 set a Montrose Aquatic Center pool record.
I felt very good, Bagge said about his record. I was scared when I was up on the blocks. I didnt think I was going to set a pool record. I tried my hardest.
Bagge also had top times in the 8U 50-backstroke (52.31), 50-freestyle (41.56) and 25-breaststroke (25.78).
Cortez is back in the record books. Thats huge for our program, Leopard Sharks coach Kevin Ketterer said. Thats a fast pool. Theyve been swimming fast there for years. To have Trenton step up, hit a pool record, it means a lot. Its huge.
Trentons 12-year-old sister Samantha Bagge took two top times as well. She placed first in the girls 11-12 50-backstroke and 50-freestyle at 40.08 and 34.47.
Danielle Hight won the girls 8U 200-freestyle in a time of 42.47.
The Leopard Sharks qualified 12 youths for the Western Slope League Championships at Mesa State College in Grand Junction this Friday through Sunday. Ketterer is very satisfied with his teams success this season.
The energy and the excitement the kids had was fantastic, Ketterer said. Being late in the season, a lot of these kids are preparing for our Western Slope League Championships. This year in particular, theres a higher level of commitment from the kids. A lot more kids are making sure they get to every practice, which is critical. The kids are ready for our championship meet.
The Four Corners Aquatic Team of Towaoc took six girls to the Montrose Open and was 15th as a team with 110 points.
Destiny Whiteman, 9, won the girls 9-10 25-freestyle and -butterfly events in 20.65 and 22.47. She even suited up for the 11-older girls 200-medley relay team with TaSheena Perank, Tifiny Mills and Talia Whyte, where they placed 11th at 3:21.90.
Shes a hard-working swimmer, FCAT coach Peter DuMont said about Whiteman. Destiny was competing with 13-year-olds and held her own. She fit right in.
ReeAnna Mills, 18, took fourth in the girls 15-older 800-freestyle in 15:02.61.
Kaylyn Miller, 7, swam in her first big meet, and DuMont was pleased with her performance.
She was one of 50 kids in her age group. Every time she swam, she got a best time, DuMont said.
With only six on the team, DuMont felt his girls represented Towaoc well, overall.
As a team, they performed particularly well. Every event they swam was a better time, whether they won a medal or not, he said.
Reach Bobby Abplanalp at bobbya@cortezjournal.com.