05.03.08
SEYL Swim Championships
Becker’s records help push BHS girls back on top
BY JEFF EVANS, Californian staff writer
jevans@bakersfield.com | Friday, May 2 2008 10:43 PM
Last Updated: Friday, May 2 2008 11:21 PM
Bakersfield High girls swimming coach Tamara Clark took a deep breath and quietly reflected on the impact sophomore Erica Becker has on her team.
Photo by Henry A. Barrios / The Californian
Erica Becker of Bakersfield High cuts through the water in record time in the 500 freestyle of the SEYL swimming finals.
“An amazing, competitive kid,” Clark said after the Drillers won the Southeast Yosemite League team title Friday at Cal State Bakersfield. “Such a kind kid. When she wins, she wins with grace.”
Becker set SEYL records in winning the 200-yard freestyle and 500 free, and she was on the Drillers’ winning 200 medley and 200 freestyle relay teams.
Her 5:11.85 in the 500 free was the most dominant swim of the meet, for boys or girls.
That mark was nearly 38 seconds faster than runner-up Paige Lifquist of Garces. And even more impressive: the mark was only a half-second slower than Liberty’s David James’ winning mark in the boys’ 500 free.
Becker’s winning time in the 200 free was 1:58.18.
Both marks were about one second off her lifetime bests, which Becker said occurred in club competition last summer.
“I’m very happy with those times,” Becker said. “I haven’t tapered (rested) yet, and I wanted to see what I could do without tapering.”
Becker added that she will rest for the Central Section Division I championships in two weeks at Clovis West and hopes to set personal records at that meet.
“I want to go 5:05 (in the 500) and 1:56 or 1:55 (in the 200),” she said.
BHS won its first girls league title in Clark’s four-year reign as head coach with 366 points. Garces was second with 320 and Liberty was third with 290.
“We went in knowing this is an incredibly tough league,” Clark said. “This is not something you expect, but you know you’re capable of it. I’m very pleased with our varsity group.”
Other Drillers posting victories were Alecceandra Gelios in the 50 free (25.92) and Brooke Shuford in the 100 breaststroke (a lifetime best 1:10.73).
Liberty won the boys varsity competition with 367 points. Garces was second with 317 and BHS placed third with 244.
Liberty freshman Michael Rowe was a double winner, in the 200 free (1:49.89) and in the 100 back (lifetime best 57.68). He also was on Liberty’s winning 200 free and 400 free relay teams.
“I was a little surprised to win all four of my events,” Rowe said. “I felt confident we’d win the relay events, but I wasn’t sure about the others.”
The backstroke win was a pleasant surprise, according to Liberty coach Marc Urmston. He put Rowe into the event to try and break up Garces seniors Mike Szewczyk and Nick Marquez, the two favorites in the race.
“Garces was looking to go 1-2 in the back,” Urmston said. “I just told him to go out there and compete, and he beat both of them.”
Entering the final turn, Rowe and Szewczyk were neck-and-neck. Rowe moved into the lead with a great turn and maintained the lead the final 25 yards. Szewczyk clocked 58.76, about a second slower than Rowe.
Liberty also received first-place performances by Justin Kraetch in the 100 free (4924), James in the 500 free (5:11.33) and diver Jacob Tittl (335.60).
The Patriots also set an SEYL record dating to 1999 with a 3:19.23 in the 400 freestyle relay.
“We set out to get that record every year,” Urmston said.
Garces was the runner-up in both varsity team competitions. Rams coach Bill Potter said the decision this year to discontinue the Area meet — which was formerly held between the league and section championships — added some urgency to Bakersfield and Liberty high schools to put together their best possible performances.
“For their kids who hadn’t qualified for Valley, this was their last chance,” Potter said. “For us, we’ve got the (section) Division II meet next week to qualify more people to Valley.”
Swimming
SEYL Boys Championships
at Cal State Bakersfield
Team scores–Liberty 367, Garces 317, Bakersfield 244, Highland 120, Foothill 53, East 41, Golden Valley 24.
200 medley relay–1. Garces (Marquez, O’Malley, Szewczyk, Steele), 1:45.94; 2. BHS, 1:49.36; 3. Liberty, 1:50.06. 200 free–1. Rowe, L, 1:49.89; 2. Farrer, Gr, 1:56.87; 3. James, L, 1:57.06. 200 IM–1. Szewczyk, Gr, 2:08.84; 2. Champion, B, 2:12.88; 3. Hall, B, 2:14.11. 50 free–1. Newby, B, 22.59; 2. Silvius, L, 22.64; 3. Prasser, H, 23.11. Diving–1. Tittl, L, 335.60; 2. Erskine, L, 266.65; 3. Finch, Gr, 230.76. 100 fly–1. Champion, B, 57.78; 2. O’Malley, Gr, 58.71; 3. Hall, B, 1:00.29. 100 free–1. Kraetch, L, 49.24; 2. Silvius, L, 49.36; 3. Newby, B, 49.58. 500 free–1. James, L, 5:11.33; 2. Reddick, B, 5:11.51; 3. Solum, Gr, 5:23.02. 200 free relay–1. Liberty (Rowe, Cody, Kraetch, Silvius), 1:30.45; 2. BHS, 1:33.26; 3. Garces, 1:36.89. 100 back–1. Rowe, L, 57.68; 2. Szewczyk, Gr, 58.76; 3. Marquez, Gr, 1:00.22. 100 breast–1. O’Malley, Gr, 1:05.10; 2. Mcknight, L, 1:05.96; 3. Shambaugh, Gr, 1:07.62.; 400 free relay–1. Liberty (Cody, Silvius, Kraetch, Rowe), 3:19.23; 2. BHS, 3:24.12; 3. Garces, 3:29.87.
JV team scores–Garces 412, Liberty 337, BHS 192, East 65, Highland 32, Foothill 22, Golden Valley 12.
SEYL Girls Championships
at Cal State Bakersfield
Team scores–Bakersfield 366, Garces 320, Liberty 290, Highland 102, East 82, Foothil 61, Golden Valley 16
200 medley relay–1. BHS (Becker, Shuford, Champion, Gelios), 1:59.42; 2. Garces 2:01.61; 3. Liberty, 2:02.02.; 200 free–1. Becker, B, 1:58.18; 2. Grundeis, E, 2:01.41; 3. Kelly, L, 2:13.77.; 200 IM–1. Stuart, L, 2:25.62; 2. Shuford, B, 2:26.53; 3. Lifquist, Gr, 2:27.67.; 50 free–1. Gelios, B, 25.92; 2. Nafarrate, L, 26.60; 3. Solorio, H, 26.64.; Diving–1. Reed, L, 313.10; 2. Jensen, Gr, 300.38; 3. Cowell, L, 229.10. 100 fly–1. Atchison, Gr, 1:04.25; 2. Nafarrate, L, 1:06.18; 3. Champion, B, 1:09.53. 100 free–1. Grundeis, E, 56.31; 2. Gelios, B, 57.59; 3. Richardson, L, 58.68. 500 free–1. Becker, B, 5:11.85; 2. Lifquist, Gr, 5:49.23; 3. Solorio, H, 5:51.65. 200 free relay–1. BHS (Gelios, Shuford, Glossbrenner, Becker), 1:45.84; 2. Garces, 1:51.35; 3. Liberty, 1:53.38. 100 back–1. Richardson, L, 1:06.29; 2. Russell, L, 1:09.46; 3. Glossbrenner, B, 1:09.78. 100 breast–1. Shuford, B, 1:10.73; 2. Townsend, Gr, 1:13.23; 3. barnett, B, 1:16.48. 400 free relay–1. Liberty (Russell, Nafarrate, Wren, Richardson), 3:55.45; 2. Garces, 3:59.74; 3. BHS, 4:01.14.
JV team scores–Garces 452, Liberty 262, BHS 251, East 117, Highland 80.
