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Gators Shine In Recent Action
6-6 OAK Gators3
The butterfly stroke moves CeCe Hurst of the Oakdale Gators toward the wall during team practice. - photo by IKE DODSON/THE LEADER

A packed house at the Tracy Invitational provided plenty of opposition for the Oakdale Gators youth swim program on May 26 and 27, but couldn’t keep local swimmers from fast times and 20 total top-five placements.

All-around sensation Dustin VandenBosch dominated the 11-12 age division with first place honors in both the 100 meter individual medley (1 minute, 14.28 seconds) and the 50 breaststroke (37.99). He also ended second in the 100 freestyle, second in the 50 butterfly, second in the 50 backstroke and third in the 50 freestyle.

Guzman Cooley ended second among 25 back swimmers and fifth among 50 free swimmers in the six-and-under division.
In the same division, Brooklyn Gonzales was fourth in the 50 free and fourth in the 25 back. Annaliese Stueve ended fifth in the same race

Hayley Rivera proved tough in the 9-10 division by placing in the 50 back (second), 50 free (third), 100 free (fourth), 50 fly (fourth), 100 I.M. (fourth) and 50 breast (fifth).

David Terwilliger did well in the same division to finish fifth in both the 100 I.M. and 50 free. Chandler Neal was also fourth in the 9-10 50 back.

The Gators were still kicking on the momentum of a strong performance against Ceres on May 19, where Oakdale swimmers won 19 events.

The success was evident in the 13-14 division, where Caitlin Golding, Kate Allen, Cayley Elswick and Elizabeth Robinette landed first in the 200 medley relay. Elsewhere in the same division, Zachary Copeland won the 100 I.M. and 100 free. Elizabeth Robinette (50 fly), Caitlin Golding (50 back) and Kate Allen (50 breast) also won events.

VandenBosch stood out in the 11-12 division by landing first in the 100 I.M., 100 free and 50 breast.

Neal (9-10) was first in the 50 free, 50 breast and 100 free while Rivera ended tops in the 50 fly and 50 free of the same division. Wyatt Stepp (9-10) was also best in the 50 fly and 50 back. Ashlynn Grace-Leibenson (25 back) had a strong 7-8 race while Cooley (six-and-under) won the 50 free and 25 back.

The Gators will host the huge Oakdale Invitational on June 9th.

The tournament will feature top swimmers from the surrounding area vying for event honors at the Oakdale Aquatic Center at Oakdale High.