After setting San Diego Section CIF Division II swimming championship records in the preliminary rounds, what could Coronado High School senior Samuel Quarles do for an encore?
How about break them again.
The Cal-bound Quarles set new records in El Cajon on May 6, winning the 100 freestyle at 43:65, and taking first in the 200 freestyle at 1:36.77.
Quarles during the preliminary heats at Granite Hills High School broke the 100 freestyle record set in 2015, and set a new mark in the 200 freestyle that had been in place since 2012, according to Coach Paul Folts.
In the championship meet, he shaved times off both for new records.
Quarles, 200 free relay on to state
Quarles, who battled COVID last year, also took part in the 200 free relay for Coronado, which took first, and the 200 medley relay, which finished third.
Quarles and the 200 free relay team, which includes Gage Everitt, David Abdul Samad and Captain Jake Finch will compete in the state championships May 11-13 at Clovis High School near Fresno.
The relay team, however, was nearly disqualified because of a problem with one of the exchanges. Yet, in the end, Coronado was declared the winner.
“That was a nerve-racking 15 minutes.”
Coach Paul Folts on the officials determining if Coronado had won the 200 free boys relay.
“That was a nerve-racking 15 minutes,” Coach Paul Folts said regarding discussions among officials after the race.
Best times of the season
Folts added Quarles is swimming some of his best times of the year, and he’ll be facing some of the fastest high school athletes in the country at the state meet.
“He’s going for it,” Folts said. “We are all super excited for him to finish his high school career and go off to Cal.”
Quarles scored 40 individual points for the team, which finished sixth out of 25 teams with 135 points. Cathedral Catholic was the overall boys champion with 318 points.
The second highest scorer was freshman Gage Everitt, who tallied 10 individual points, while also competing on the 200 medley relay and 200 free relay.
Chloe Quarles breaks school record
On the girls side, the sisters of Quarles and Everitt carried the Islanders.
Sophomore Chloe Quarles racked up 31 individual points as the Islanders also finished sixth out of 25 teams with 132 points.
Quarles competed in four events, with her highest finish being third in the 100 fly, where she posted a time of 57:95. She also broke the event’s school record, which had been set since 1985 or when Ronald Reagan was in his second term in the White House.
Teammate Jamison Everitt, a junior, scored 25 points for the Islanders and competed in four events.
