Support for the Sedona Swim Team triumvirate from two Sedona Red Rock High School seniors emerged Saturday, July 23, from the waters of the 35th Verde Valley Invitational.
But the surprise of the meet was new Sedona Swordfish swimmer Max Schwartz, who downed fellow 10-year-old Nathan Kruger, of the invitational champion Bullhead City Barracudas, in the 50-yard backstroke by over seven seconds.
“Max joined us about three weeks ago and he’s a stud,” said A. Jay Bronson, head coach of the Swordfish. “[I] can’t wait to see him excel the more he is with us.”
Cody Brefeld teamed up with fellow 12-year-olds Stephanie Medel and Nyah Valdez and Carlos Lattanzi, 11, for first in the 200-yard freestyle relay, lifting the Swordfish to fourth overall out of seven teams in the invitational.
“Stephanie Medel also was a standout and just started this summer,” Bronson said. “With her, Cody, Carlos and Nyah all on a relay together, it’s a tough combo to beat.”
Lattanzi appreciated the support from Brefeld, who finished two-thirds of a second behind him in the 50-yard freestyle and in third place behind him in two others.
“It feels good to know I have a teammate that’s as fast [or] taking second,” said Lattanzi, who also hopes for faster times in the 100-yard butterfly this fall. “I didn’t gain that much [but] I feel proud of my times. ”
Lattanzi and 13-year-old Andrew Tate swept their four individual events at the invitational, including the 50-yard butterfly and freestyle and 200-yard individual medley, tying two Bullhead City swimmers for top points scorers July 23.
“I thought it might be easy, but actually, some of the people are kind of challenging,” Lattanzi said. “My team’s very fast.”
But Lattanzi was not even the youngest local swimmer to win in the Swordfish’s final meet of the summer.
That honor was taken by 10-year-old Sarina McCullough, who won three individual events and fell less than three seconds short of winning her fourth, the 50-yard backstroke.
“On my backstroke, I feel like I can go a lot faster,” she said. “I dropped 10 seconds from that time and one to two seconds off my other times.”
McCullough plans to take a break from the Swordfish until late next month, taking weekend classes at the Sedona Community Pool to build on her finishes July 23.
“I feel like I swam really well,” she said. “This was one of my best meets. I’m going to work even harder.”
In his final club meet of his life, as he put it, Austin Cottle missed winning the 50-yard breaststroke by four-hundredths of a second, also falling just short to the host Cottonwood Clippers in the 15- to 18-year-old 50-yard butterfly.
“I don’t like club meets as much as high school,” a disappointed Cottle said after finishing eighth in the 50-yard breaststroke, his final individual event, in temperatures pushing 105 degrees. “They’re long and boring. When you’re hot, you dive in the pool and it feels really nice, [but] I haven’t dried off yet.”
The other Swordfish 17-year-old who scored points July 23 was Sarah Reed, who combined with Cottle for three third-place finishes, including the 50-yard freestyle and 200-yard individual medley.
Reed and Cottle would also team up to finish fourth in the 200-yard medley relay.
“Just really proud of all our kids and the coaches,” Bronson said. “They all have really improved over the summer and we hope to see that continue. We are steadily growing and looking forward to fall season.”
