Marble Falls Current performs well at state
CAPTION: Current coach Krystal (Lunsford) Martinez with swimmers Stephen Storm (standing on the coach’s right side), Rocky Gaston, Samuel Burns and Bauer Stanley celebrate the relay dropping three seconds at the Summer Games of Texas. Courtesy photos
The Marble Falls Current summer swimming team lived up to its name at the Summer Games of Texas hosted by the Texas Amateur Athletic Federation July 30-Aug. 2.
The Current’s results pleased coach Krystal (Lunsford) Martinez, who noted 28 swimmers ranging in ages from 5-19, competed at the state meet. The Current had 100 swimmers this summer.
“It was exciting,” Martinez said. “I only took 40-45 to regionals. It’s just determination, focus while you’re at practice, and just really being able to put it all out there when you’re doing your race. You can’t be scared to be tired.”
Swimmers who competed in the 14-years-old-and-younger divisions had to finish in the top three of regional meets in their events or relays to advance to the state meet. There are no district meets. TAAF has 17 regions spread across Texas.
Several swimmers stood out to their coach.
One is Jake Welch, who competed in the 13-and 14-year-old division.
“He is constantly improving at every meet,” Martinez said. “It’s two- or three-second drops. It’s insane, and he was up there. He didn’t get medals this year; he got medals all last year, but he finished. He got first place I believe in all of his events at regionals, and then going on to state, he got ribbons in all of them. (At state) he still improved and got personal bests in all of his events.”
CAPTION: Current swimmers Lylah Hardcastle (left), Brooks Hardcastle and Jake Welch.
In the 9-and-10-year-old girls division, Blake Walton finished in the top six in two events. Walton has been “battling some things,” so her finishes did more than bring applause and cheer from her teammates and coaches, Martinez said.
“She competed with a smile on her face,” she said. “The fact that she just did it anyway and was proud to at least finish with just her heart and her determination, (we were) just in awe. I’m just real proud of her.”
Overall, the coach couldn’t hide her enthusiasm and pride for how well her athletes performed, noting the hard work they put in leading to regionals resulted in some tremendous finishes such as Sawa Cowling, who competed in the six-and-younger division.
“This was her first time ever to swim competitively,” she said. “It’s just a phenomenal thing to watch these kids just really, really push hard and not be scared to be tired. These kids just blow my mind.”
Martinez said the goal is to expand the swim program from a summer-only team to one that’s year around for all ages that will continue to compete and follow the TAAF calendar.
CAPTION: Current swimmer Sophie Kruhm (left) listens to a pre-race pep talk from coach Krystal (Lunsford) Martinez.
RESULTS
Texas AAF Championships Meet, July 30-Aug. 2
BOYS
9-10 year olds: 100-yard individual medley – 24, Samuel Burns, 1:53.72; 100-yard medley relay – 13, Current (Bauer Stanley, Stephen Storm, Samuel Burns, Rocky Gaston), 1:33.32;
11-12 year olds: 50-yard freestyle – 9, Brooks Hardcastle, 29.55; 100-yard freestyle – 19, Garrett Mercier, 1:12.56; 50-yard backstroke – 6, Brooks Hardcastle, 35.01
13-14 year olds: 50-yard freestyle – 11, Jake Welch, 26.21, 26, Brody Matos, 28.88; 100-yard freestyle – 11, Jake Welch, 57.99; 50-yard backstroke – 19, Adler Stanley, 34.37; 50-yard breaststroke – 13, Brody Matos, 35.78, 23, Adler Stanley, 39.16; 50-yard butterfly – 9, Jake Welch, 28.85, 16, Brody Matos, 30.48; 100-yard individual medley – 9, Jake Welch, 1:06.90, 20, Brody Matos, 1:13.50
15-17 year olds: 50-yard freestyle – 37, Logan Hargraves, 26.11, 39, Klein Stanley, 26.20, 71, Keagan Davenport, 29.90; 100-yard freestyle – 55, Keagan Davenport, 1:06.37; 200-yard freestyle – 10, Logan Hargraves, 2:10.50, 21, Keagan Davenport, 2:44; 50-yard backstroke – 15, Logan Hargraves, 31.53; 41, Caleb Burns, 41.82; 50-yard butterfly – 30, Klein Stanley, 28.40, 31, Logan Hargraves, 28.85; 100-yard individual medley – 21, Klein Stanley, 1:09.95; 200-yard medley relay – 15, Current (Logan Hargraves, Caleb Burns, Klein Stanley, Keagan Davenport), 2:06.99
18-24 year olds: 50-yard breaststroke – 7, E. Odom, 32.18; 50-yard freestyle – 12, E. Odom, 24.14; 100-yard freestyle – 6, E. Odom, 54.05; 100-yard individual medley – 6, E. Odom, 1:04.73
GIRLS
6 and under year olds: 25-yard backstroke – 5, Sawa Cowling, 28.37; 25-yard freestyle – 19, Sawa Cowling, 30.25
9-10 year olds: 25-yard backstroke – 6, Blair Walton, 19.03; 25-yard breaststroke – 7, Sweet Odom, 22.04; 50-yard freestyle – 5, Blair Walton, 33.82; 100-yard medley relay – 12, Current (Cora Ligi, Sweet Odom, Tatum Grubbs, Zoey Cowling), 1:26.21
11-12 year olds: 50-yard breaststroke – 7, Garner Stanley, 40.31; 100-yard individual medley – 15, Blake Walton, 1:24.92
13-14 year olds: 50-yard backstroke – 15, Jayde Smith, 36.62; 50-yard breaststroke – 20, Z Odom, 41.58; 50-yard freestyle – 19, Jayde Smith, 30.40; 100-yard individual medley – 15, Jayde Smith, 1:21.07; 200-yard medley relay – 13, Current (Jayde Smith, Z Odom, Lylah Hardcastle, Elise Ligi), 2:34.13; 200-yard freestyle relay – 13, Current (Jayde Smith, Lylah Hardcastle, Z Odom, Elise Ligi), 2:12.42
15-17 year olds: 50-yard breaststroke – 11, Mar Odom, 39.36; 50-yard backstroke – 17, Mar Odom, 33.88; 50-yard freestyle – 30, Mar Odom, 28.76; 100-yard individual medley – 26, Mar Odom, 1:19.94
