By Kalyssa Grinbergs
Special to the Express
The Winters High School swim team had a bumpy start on Sept. 29 due to a bus malfunction, but arrived in Durham just in time to jump in the pool to participate for a Butte View League meet where they competed against swimmers from Sutter Union, Orland, Durham, Gridley, Las Plumas, Willows, Paradise, Wheatland and Oroville high schools.
The Warriors put together a patchwork women’s 200-yard medley relay team of Mikalia Anello, Mickayla Passantino, Kalyssa Grinbergs and Brianna Baugh. The team came in third place with a finals time of 2:18.54. The men’s 200-yard medley relay team swam in a nail biting race. Swimmers Trevor Grinbergs, Tommy Duarte, Diego Valencia and Kenneth Matheson came in first with a finals time of 2:04.23.
Many Winters swimmers continue to navigate the meets and develop new skills to hone in on in new events.
“We all gave it our all, and I’m extremely proud of the team. Go warriors,” said Passantino.
Kalyssa swam the 200-yard individual medley event for the first time and finished in third place with a finals time of 3:00.57. Trevor found his event, and is consistently dropping time in the individual medley. He finished the 200-yard individual medley event in first place with a finals time of 2:28.07.
Diego Valencia and Trevor won first and second, respectively, in the men’s 50-yard freestyle race, with John Rominger close behind in fifth. Valencia is an experienced sprinter, but he still manages to push himself and drop time consistently. Valencia finished in first place with a time of 24.46. Trevor, who was still recovering from his individual medley win, finished with a time of 26.17 right behind. Rominger was a fraction of a second away from the sections qualifying time he has been working hard for with a finals time of 27.40.
Ava Skinner and Valencia both took first place for the women’s and men’s 100-yard butterfly. Skinner is working hard on her butterfly in practice, has been dropping time every meet, and qualified for sections this meet with a finals time of 1:25.70. Valencia finished his race with a finals time of 1:03.68.
Rominger, Matheson and Duarte placed second, third and fourth in the men’s 100-yard freestyle event. Rominger dropped time and qualified for sections with a time of 1:01.13. Matheson swam the event for the first time and destroying his seed time of 1:22.00 with a finals time of 1:04.15. Duarte was right behind him, continuing to drop seconds off with a finals time of 1:04.77.
Anello was out touched in the 500-yard freestyle. It was a riveting race, and she earned second second place with a finals time of 6:07.96. David Rivas swam his first 500-yard freestyle event and placed a solid second place with a finals time of 7:49.26.
The men’s 200-yard freestyle relay team dominated the event winning first. The team is made up of solid, experienced sprinters Duarte, Trevor, Rominger and Valencia. While the women’s 200-yard free relay team is coming into their own, coming in at fifth place.
“Our relays also placed very well. Although we didn’t have a full team this time, the people that were there really gave it their all and did well under the given circumstances,” said Valencia, the men’s team captain.
Four Winters swimmers swam the women’s 100-yard backstroke. The Warriors skilled swimmers Passantino came in first with a time of 1:05.67 followed close behind by Anello who came in third with a time of 1:19.95.
Passantino took another first in the women’s 100-yard breaststroke event with a time of 1:13.8. Matheson held his own as well, taking third in the men’s 100-yard breaststroke with a time of 1:21.32.
The meet wrapped up with the women’s 400-yard freestyle relay team of Kalyssa, Skinner, Anello and Amelia Doran taking first place with a time of 4:28.92.
“Swim team did really great this week. Almost everyone dropped time in their events,” said coach Devin Tice. “I am pleased with how the swimmers have improved and the team support to one another. Everyone has made great strides to be better in the water at practice. I am looking forward to how the team does at our home meet next week.”
The Warriors will next compete in a home swim meet on Oct. 6 at 4 p.m. at the Bobbie Greenwood Community Swim Center.
Crystal Apilado contributed to this article.
