Aqua Tribe works in smaller meets on road to district

 Although the district meet for the Aqua Tribe isn’t until Jan. 22, the swim team has been training to take on the seven other schools that are in the district. The team took first at its home meet on Dec. 12.

  Two teams stand out as powerhouses in the district.

  “For me, it’s Monahans,” senior Natasha Fehr said. “Swimmers from Monahans have been swimming for up to 10 years. I swim breaststroke and their breaststroke swimmers are more practiced. They pose the biggest challenge to me.”

  Junior Ian Ramirez said Andrews was a team to watch.

  “Andrews is the toughest team to beat,” Ramirez said. “They work hard and always seem to be improving.”

  Coach Danielle Sims has been facing Andrews ever since she was in high school. 

  “Andrews is the biggest team,” Sims said. “They are strong across the entire team, especially the boys.” 

  Covid-19 has limited invitational meets to a maximum of three teams.

  “I think small meets are an advantage,” Ramirez said. “Bigger meets are more anxiety-inducing and the wait times are long. At small meets, everything goes faster.”

  These small meets also have their drawbacks.

  “Small meets are a massive disadvantage for me,” Fehr said. “I don’t feel the drive to compete when I’m only competing against one other person. There isn’t any competition like there is at big meets.” 

  Even though competition has been small so far, Ramirez said he has high hopes for district.

  “I think my 500-yard freestyle will do well,” Ramirez said. “It’s intimidating and long for most, but I’ve built up a good endurance. It also doesn’t have much competition, so I have an advantage.”

  Fehr hopes to finally make it to regionals.

  “I’ve been the alternate for regionals three times,” Fehr said. “I’m working hard to finally assure myself a spot at regionals.”

  Sims said she feels good about how the team will do.

  “Our relays are the most strong,” Sims said. “They show promise and have fared well against other teams at invitationals.”

 District will feature competition from Andrews, Monahans, Pecos, Fort Stockton, Greenwood, Abilene Cooper, and Wylie. The meet will be on Jan. 22-23 in Andrews.

Results of Seminole meet on Dec. 12

Maidens–first overall

Indians–first overall

Women’s 200-meter medley relay–Ana Nevarez Castillo, sophomore Megan Neufeld, senior Natasha Fehr and senior Samantha Gutierrez took first (2:48.53)

Women’s 200-meter freestyle–-senior Amber Wilkey-first (2:51.17), Neufeld-second (2:51.85), Gutierrez-third (2:55.19), freshman Brooklyn Bailey-fourth (3:10.04)

Men’s 200-meter freestyle–-sophomore Shayne Howard-first (2:34.77), junior Luis Gameros Robles-second (2:42.13), junior Ian Ramirez-third (2:47.30), freshman Gavin Dickson-fourth (2:58.30)

Women’s 200-meter individual medley–-Fehr-first (3:62.55)

Women’s 50-meter freestyle–-Nevarez Castillo -first (32.28), sophomore Karyme Martinez-second (35.21)

Men’s 50-meter freestyle–-junior Clayton Lee-second (29.25), freshman Eduardo Rodarte-fifth (34.31), freshman Jacob Crothers-sixth (36.28) Women’s 100-meter freestyle–-Martinez-first (1:20.69), sophomore Margaretha Harder-second (1:33.43), sophomore Heidy Friesen-fourth (1:49.09)

Men’s 100-meter freestyle–-Lee-fourth (1:06.52), Howard-fifth (1:08.27). 

Women’s 400-meter freestyle–-Wilkey-first (6:01.77), Gutierrez-second (6:19.29)

Men’s 400-meter freestyle–-Ramirez-second (6:02.22)

Women’s 200-meter freestyle relay–-team of Neufeld, Bailey, Wilkey, Martinez-first (2:25.96),

Men’s 200-meter freestyle relay–-team of Howard, Ramirez, Gameros Robles and Lee-second (2:03.90), team of Dickson, Crothers, freshman Jeremiah Wolf, Rodarte-third (2:25.36)

Women’s 100-meter backstroke–-Nevarez Castillo-first (1:32.09), Bailey-second (1:45.86)

Men’s 100-meter backstroke–-Wolf-third (1:39.89)

Women’s 100-meter breaststroke–-Fehr-first (1:37.23), Neufeld-second (1:43.78), Harder-fifth (2:03.48)

Men’s 100-meter breaststroke–-Gameros Robles-third (1:40.03), Rodarte-fourth (1:58.09)

Women’s 400-meter freestyle relay–-team of Gutierrez, Wilkey, Martinez, Nevarez Castillo-first (5:21.53 )

Men’s 400-meter freestyle relay–-team of Lee, Ramirez, Gameros Robles, Howard-second (4:40.73)