The Coronado High School Islanders swim team closed out its season at the CIF San Diego Section Division II Championships on May 9, delivering standout performances and several memorable finishes.
Competing among 31 Division II teams, the Islander boys earned a 7th-place overall finish, while the girls placed 14th.
Leading the way was senior Gage Everitt, who captured the CIF Division II title in the boys 100-yard freestyle with a time of 45.69 seconds. His performance secured him a lane at the CIF State Championships in Clovis. This was his fourth consecutive year competing at this level.
Everitt also led the boys 400 freestyle relay team alongside Devin Ertekin, Quint Richardson, and anchor Luca Morocco. The quartet finished third overall and earned a state consideration qualifying time. The relay narrowly missed the final state cutoff by just three-tenths of a second.
Cedrick Tolentino placed 7th in the boys 200 freestyle with a 1:47.91 and later added another 7th-place finish in the 500 freestyle. Santi Garcia Rojo also scored in the distance events, finishing 6th in the 500 freestyle and 11th in the 200 individual medley.
Ertekin sprinted to an 11th-place finish in the 50 freestyle and added a top-10 performance in the 100 butterfly. Morocco posted strong swims in both the 200 individual medley (9th) and 100 breaststroke (11th), while Russell Richardson contributed key points in the backstroke events and medley relays.
On the girls side, Jillian Stachowicz got a 7th-place finish in the 100 butterfly and a top-10 performance in the 100 breaststroke. Kailyn Cornell added a strong swim in the 100 backstroke and helped lead both girls relay teams.
The girls 200 medley relay team of Cornell, Stachowicz, Mirren Fallon, and Baleri Garces placed 12th overall, while the same group returned in the 400 freestyle relay to finish 11th in a highly competitive field.
Information submitted by Leigh Everitt.
