By RAY BENTON
Leader sports editor
The Sherwood Sharks won their sixth and final meet of the season, and clinched their second straight Central Arkansas Swim League championship with a closer-than-expected 768-730 win over the Maumelle/YMCA consolidated team.
Despite the close score, it was one of the most remarkable meets for the Sharks in the team’s history. A total of 103 Sherwood swimmers posted best times in at least one sport, and a stunning 26 swimmers recorded their best times in all five events.
Those swimmer were Presley Austin, Allie Blenden, Sean Brocious, Richard Buzzitta, Chelsea Churchill, Erica Denny, Kalynn Fisher, Jessie Garrison, Nimit Gandhi, Hannah Gray, Ashley Harris, Hannah Jones, Ashley Lewis, Mary Kate McNulty, Amanda Moore, Andrew Moore, Megan Moore, Aaron Ngo, Seven Powers, Jeremy Smith, Brooke Smothers, Lee Smothers, Calvin Spellman, Alisa Staton, Tina Thompson and Greer Williams.
A total of 19 Sharks broke their previous best times and swam fast enough to move up in category in Saturday’s meet.
For the girls, 6-year-old Seven Powers won the silver division 25-yard backstroke with a gold division time of 32.07. In 7-8 year-olds, it was Patelyn Bailey, Maddie Young and Christy Hawking all improving to silver time in their events. Bailey won the bronze 25-yard backstroke with a silver time of 26.49. Young and Hawking took the top two spots in the 25-yard bronze division breaststroke, both improving to silver division.
Nikki Sanders took the 9-10 year-old 50 yard freestyle, Sanders won the silver event with a gold time of 36.13.
The most records were broke in the 11-12 year-old girls, as five Sharks met new best times. Kris O’Connell won the silver division 50 yard freestyle with a gold time of 33.78. Savannah Lancaster improved to gold in the 50 yard backstroke, winning the silver division event over Meg O’Connell, who also swam to a gold division time. Meg also had a gold time in the 100 yard IM. O’Connell won the silver event at 1:26.92.
For the girls, 6-year-old Seven Powers won the silver division 25-yard backstroke with a gold division time of 32.07. In 7-8 year-olds, it was Patelyn Bailey, Maddie Young and Christy Hawking all improving to silver time in their events. Bailey won the bronze 25 yard backstroke with a silver time of 26.49. Young and Hawking took the top two spots in the 25-yard bronze division breaststroke, both improving to silver division. Lindsay Taylor also improved to a silver division time in the 25-yard freestyle, Taylor took second in the bronze division event, with a time of 22.87.
Nikki Sanders took the 9-10 year-old 50-yard freestyle, Sanders won the silver event with a gold time of 36.13.
The most records were broke in the 11-12 year-old girls, as five Sharks met new best times. Kris O’Connell won the silver division 50-yard freestyle with a gold time of 33.78. Savannah Lancaster improved to gold in the 50-yard backstroke, winning the silver division event over Meg O’Connell, who also swam to a gold division time. Meg also had a gold time in the 100 yard IM. O’Connell won the silver event at 1:26.92.
Allie Blendon won the bronze division 50-yard freestyle, with a silver time of 34.89. Ashley Lewis took second place in the 50-yard butterfly in the bronze division, scoring a silver division time of 44.53.
There were also several other wins for the lady Sharks on Saturday. For the 9-10 year-olds, it was Tayler Jones winning the silver division 50-yard breaststroke and 50-yard butterfly.
Savannah Lancaster took a pair of silver division wins in the 11-12 year-old age group, winning the 50-yard breaststroke and the 50-yard butterfly. Lauren Qualls won the 50- yard backstroke in the silver division with a time of 39.81.
In the older age groups, it was Kelsey Lancaster taking a silver division win in the 100-yard IM for 13-14 year-olds. Ashley Lee won the IM for the bronze division with a time of 1:31.34.
For the 15-16 year-olds, it was Alana Brunke winning the bronze division 50-yard freestyle. Brunke also took the win in the silver division 50-yard backstroke, and the silver 50-yard butterfly. In all, Brunke won four events and had one second place finish for the Sharks.
Chelsea Churchill won four gold division events on Saturday for the 17-18 year-olds. Churchill took wins in the 50-yard freestyle, 50-yard backstroke, 50-yard Breaststroke, and 100-yard IM. Ashley Harris also won the bronze division 50-yard breaststroke for the 17-18 year-olds.
There were several records broken on the boys’ side as well. For the 6 and under group, Andrew Williams took gold time in the 25-yard backstroke. Williams took the silver event wih a time of 28.94. David Price won the silver division 25-yard butterfly in the 7-8 year-old group with a silver time of 26.12. Lee Smothers also improved from bronze to silver time in the butterfly event.
Jummy Esola and Nicolas Williams both won in the 25-yard freestyle. Esola won the silver event in gold time, and Williams won the bronze event with a silver time of 21.65
Ian Kerr won the 50-yard breaststroke for the 9-10 year-olds. Kerr won the bronze event with a silver time of 56.62. Jake Schlag moved from bronze to silver in the 100-yard IM.
Schlag won the event with a time of 1:54.48.
