Fast times have been the theme of the season for the Sedona Red Rock High School swim team. With two dual meets and two qualifiers remaining, a number of Scorpions have already automatically qualified for the state meet.
This includes Andrew Tate in both the 500 freestyle and 100 butterfly, as well as Carlos Lattanzi in the 200 individual medley and 100 backstroke. Additionally, the quartet of Tate, Lattanzi, Zach Dana and Eric Schrader has already qualified in both the 200 medley and 400 freestyle relays.
“Everybody is doing amazing at what they do,” said senior Victor Lara, who coach Dan Morse labeled as the unsung hero of the team. “I’m seeing everybody work hard and wanting to go state. I think the team is on the right track to achieve good things.”
Additionally, Schrader and Dana have posted provisional qualifying times in individual events, as has Cody Brefeld. Those three, along with RJ Edwards, are also close in the 200 freestyle relay.
Coming into the season, Morse knew that the boys team would be strong. While the girls team wasn’t a weakness, it was more of a question mark. Over the course of the season, though, the girls have answered the questions in a positive manner. While none of the Scorpion girls have an automatic qualifying time, many — including Louise “Breezy” Taylor, Honoka Yabuuchi, Isabella Constante and Dezra Dana have close provisional. They’ll have a chance to improve their status at the state qualifiers on Saturday, Oct. 19 and Saturday, Oct. 26.
“Our girls have a fighting chance to make it, which is all that we ask for,” Morse said. “They’ve come a long way. They’ve been working really hard. That’s the name of the game right there. Hard work and dedication. The whole team in general has been working really hard but I’m really proud of those girls. They’ve put themselves in a really good position to race well and hopefully make the state meet.”
Better for SRRHS is that the core of this team is young. Excluding Yabuuchi and Zach Dana, all of the qualifiers, both automatic and provisional, are set to return next season.
“I hope that the new people who weren’t able to go to state can go,” Lara added. “It’s a really cool experience to go there. I hope that those people can go.”
Regardless of whether they reach the state meet, Morse wants to see the Sedona swimmers continue to improve as the season winds down.”
“I just want to see kids do their best,” he said. “I want to see them really reach their potential at our last couple of meets. At the qualifiers and at the state meet. Really all it’s about is trying to get these kids to reach their individual goals and really let them see that the hard work paid off.”
“I think we’re already on the right track towards what we want to accomplish,” Constante added. We have a wide variety of goals. I just like the fact that we’re able to always motivate each other with whatever goals we have.”
The Scorpions will have one more home meet at the Sedona Community Pool on Thursday, Oct. 17 against St. John Paul II, Cicero Prep and Winslow. While that will be the home finale, it won’t be the last opportunity for people in the Verde Valley to watch the SRRHS team.
On Thursday, Oct. 24, they’ll be in Cottonwood for a meet against Mingus at the Cottonwood Athletic Center.
“We’re worth watching and everyone should come out and support us,” Constante said. “We love having people out here.”
