Virtually every event that 10-year-old Carlos Lattanzi can swim in at Age Group State in March, he will be able to following the conclusion of the Fall Festival championships Sunday, Nov. 15, in Glendale.

“It’s really crazy,” said Rick Dembow, father to the Sedona Swim Team’s second-youngest swimmer, who has qualified for State in 11 out of the 12 events in his age group. “You can only compete in six. He still has five months to qualify for one more, but he doesn’t really need it.”

But Lattanzi will go for it anyway Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 12 and 13, at an Arizona Aquatic Club meet in Chandler after winning four events in the Fall Festival championships Nov. 15.

“There was only really one kid who was that fast,” Lattanzi said. “But if you took him out of the picture, there was absolutely no competition.”

Confident words from a newly-aspiring professional swimmer who hadn’t swum a competitive lap in a pool before May.

“He doesn’t peter out,” Dembow said. “The longer the race, the better he does.”

Ever since he took that initial plunge into the Sedona Community Pool, qualifying for Long Course State in his first meet, where he had a top 20 finish against boys 10 years old and younger, the limits have been as boundless for Lattanzi as they have been for Sedona’s other prolific club swimmer, 13-year-old Andrew Tate.

“Looking at their times, they’ve done amazing things,” said A. Jay Bronson, head coach of the Swordfish and Sedona Red Rock High School swimming teams. “Right now, if I put them on the high school team, they would be huge contributors.
“That speaks volumes to how well they practice. I can’t wait for them to continue their accomplishments.”

While Tate dropped time in just one of his seven events Nov. 15, it was enough to qualify for the USA Swimming regional meet and 20 seconds short of qualifying for State in March.

“I didn’t do as well I hoped,” Tate said after overcoming an ear infection to swim the mile in less than 20 minutes in Glendale. “I’d like to go a little faster.”

Like Lattanzi, who hopes to qualify for State in one last swim — the 500-yard freestyle — Tate hopes to drop more times in the breaststroke and individual medley Dec. 12 and 13 in the Hamilton High School pool.

“Everyone’s going to regionals, which is unbelievable,” said Tate’s mother, Beth. “He’s already got a State time in the 800-meter freestyle, but I’d like to take him down for more than one event.”

For the full story and more photos, please see the Wednesday, Dec. 25, issue of the Sedona Red Rock News.