Senior Emily Aitken’s 50-yard freestyle and 100-yard backstroke are not only strong heading into the Heisley Invitational at the Cottonwood City Pool, they helped keep the Mingus Cup at Sedona Red Rock High School for the fifth straight year Oct. 16.
“It was a great meet. I’m incredibly proud of where our teams are at right now,” said A. Jay Bronson, SRRHS head swimming coach. “I’m incredibly impressed with Mary Brown and how far she has come. Same with Sarah Reed.”
Aitken, who, along with the freshman Reed, has already qualified for the Division II state swimming meet in Mesa, won her 50- and 100-yard specialties in just over 27 seconds and in 1:10.86, respectively, to help SRRHS defeat Mingus Union High School, 99-89, at the Sedona Community Pool.
She and Reed also teamed up with Brown, a sophomore, and fellow senior Kristina Schindele to take second in the girls 400-yard freestyle relay — less than 2½ seconds behind the winning team from Northland Preparatory Academy.
“Sadly … I had to give up the S.S. Elevation Cup,” Bronson said after his boys team tied the Spartans but his girls team lost by 38 points. “They won it fair and square from us.”
The “rough” Northland Prep boys team under head coach Jeff “Doc” Leid will pose one of the Scorpions’ greatest challenges, Bronson said, at the Heisley Invitational, which will run from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday, Oct. 24, and Saturday, Oct. 25.
For the full story, please see the Friday, Oct. 24, issue of the Sedona Red Rock News.
