With the thermometers continuing to climb, dozens of youth swimmers have joined the Oakdale Gators swim program. The program is taking sign-ups throughout the summer and has several meets on the schedule. Swimmers from the ages of four to 14 can join; there is both a Junior Gators and a Gators swim team.
In the Junior Gators first meet of the season, many young swimmers participated and placed in the top ten of their events. Four-year-old Gwendolyn Booth finished eighth in the mixed 25 meter freestyle event. John Duty, 7, competed in two events and placed sixth in the mixed 25 meter freestyle event. Eight-year-old Amber Franssen placed fifth in the mixed 25 meter freestyle and placed seventh in the 25 meter backstroke event. Luke Harris, 7, placed second in the mixed 25 meter backstroke event. Oliver Cummings, 8, placed tenth in the mixed 25 meter freestyle event.
Ocean Ingram, 8, competed in two events and placed in the top five in each event. She finished third in the mixed 25 meter backstroke and fourth in the 25 meter mixed backstroke. Eight-year-old Thomas Keeler finished first in both of his events, the mixed 25 meter freestyle and 25 meter mixed backstroke events. Chase Malberg, 9, placed tenth in the mixed 25 meter backstroke. Eight-year-old Charlee Malberg finished ninth in the mixed 25 meter freestyle and Gianna Masellis, 6, placed ninth in the 25 meter backstroke. Marissa Miller, 7, placed fourth in the mixed 25 backstroke event. Kelsey Pippin, 10, finished third and sixth in her events, the mixed 25 meter freestyle and 25 backstroke. Eight-year-old Callie Rath placed second in the mixed 25 meter freestyle. Bella Watkins, 8, placed eighth in the mixed 25 backstroke event and fellow eight-year-old Lilly Ybarra placed fifth in the mixed 25 meter backstroke and seventh in the mixed 25 meter freestyle.
In Gators action, the team went to Lodi for their first meet of the season. A number of their swimmers placed in the top five. Alivia Antinetti, 14, placed second in the female 13 and over 100 meter breaststroke. Nine-year-old Samantha Blanc placed second in the female 9-10 50 meter backstroke event and placed fifth in the 50 meter backstroke. Ten-year-old Andrew Coonfield placed fourth in the male 9-10 50 meter freestyle event. Nine-year-old Alexis Dudley swam in three events and placed in the top five in two of them. Dudley placed third in the female 9-10 50 meter freestyle and fourth in the 100 meter freestyle. Jakob Dudley, 11, earned a fourth place finish in the male 11-12 50 butterfly event.
Twelve-year-old Angelica Elizondo competed in four events and placed in the top five in all of them. The speedy swimmer placed second in both the 11-12 female 100 meter IM and the 50 meter freestyle event. She also placed third in the 100 meter freestyle and fifth in the 50 meter freestyle. Hayden Koehler placed fifth in the male 9-10 100 meter freestyle. Mia Manley finished fourth in the female 11-12 100 freestyle and Eliza McKeon placed fourth in the female 11-12 100 freestyle event. Tyler Mercer, 11, swam in six events. The youngster finished second in both the male 11-12 100 meter IM and the 50 meter freestyle. He also took third in both the 50 freestyle and the 50 backstroke events. Mercer capped off his busy day with a fourth place finish in the 100 meter freestyle.
Caleb Percival placed second in the male 9-10 50 meter backstroke event. Fellow 10-year-old Jaxzen Pope finished in the top five in a trio of events. He placed fourth in both the 9-10 50 breaststroke and 50 meter backstroke and finished fifth in the 50 meter freestyle event. Thirteen-year-old Jordyn Pope swam in five events and placed in the top five in all of them. Pope earned three first place finishes, winning the female 13 and over 100 meter IM, 100 backstroke and 100 meter butterfly events. She also placed fourth in the 100 meter breaststroke and fifth in the 50 meter freestyle.
Eight-year-old Callie Rath placed first in the female 8 and under 25 meter backstroke and was second in a pair of events. She earned second place honors in both the 25 meter butterfly and 50 meter freestyle. Nine-year-old Owen Reynolds placed first in the male 9-10 50 meter freestyle event. Michaliah Richison, 14, placed first in the female 13 and over 100 meter breaststroke and second in the 100 meter IM. Twelve-year-old Ixxy Salzer earned top five honors in five events. She took third in the female 11-12 50 meter freestyle. She took fourth in three events; 50 meter breaststroke, 50 meter backstroke and 50 meter butterfly event and she placed fifth in the 100 meter freestyle event. Seven-year-old Archer Sanders took fourth in the male 8 and under 25 meter butterfly.
Trenton Stanton took third in the male 13 and over 100IM and fourth in the 100 meter backstroke. Addison Szuggar took fourth in the female 13 and over 100 meter backstroke. Alexis Wheat placed fourth in the female 9-10 50 backstroke event.
Stealing the meet was 12-year-old Brooke Wheat. She competed in four events and took first in all four. Wheat placed first in the female 11-12 50 meter freestyle, 50 meter breaststroke, 50 meter butterfly and 50 meter backstroke events.
