Sharks, Rays make a splash

The Auburn Racquet & Fitness Club Sharks swim team on Saturday hosted their first meet of the 2008 season against the Foresthill Stingrays.The Stingrays beat the Sharks by a combined team score of 589-403.About 130 swimmers from both teams beat the summer heat competing in a series of individual events in backstroke, breaststroke, butterfly and freestyle as well as individual medleys and team relays.The Sharks, sponsored by the Auburn Racquet & Fitness Club, focus on improving competitive stroke technique, physical conditioning and overall fun. The team competes in the Sierra Foothills Swim League, a summer junior recreational league of swimmers age 5-18. The league features teams from Foresthill, Auburn Lake Trails, Lake of the Pines, Grass Valley and Lake Wildwood.The two-month season includes five dual meets and culminates in a late-July championship.The Sharks feature 57 swimmers, who range in age this season from 5 to 15. Many athletes are new to the sport, first-year head coach Derek Buda said."My goals are to get everyone into good habits and stroke technique, so that hopefully we can compete and end up scoring more points against other teams," he said.It was the first meet for Buda and assistant head coach Stacy Brittner to see their young squad in action."It went really well," Buda said. "Everyone improved their times from the time trials. Everyone is trying their hardest and doing their best, and that's all I can ask for as coach."The Sharks had a number of notable individual performances.Jamie Stroud, Nolan Thomas, Kaitlyn Brown, Sarah Keeley, Jake Rick and Adam Acrich each won in their respective 100-yard individual medley events, which are organized by age. Thomas, Josephine Hernandez, Christopher Keeley and Hannah Crandall won the Mixed 7-8 Medley Relay.Crandall, Ayden Keeley, Joshua Brown and Jansen Coen placed first in their respective individual freestyles. Crandall, Thomas, Stroud and Christopher Keeley won in the Mixed 7-8 100-yard freestyle relay. Acrich, Crandall, Ari Peterson-Walli and Michael Crouch placed first in their respective individual backstroke events. Coen, Thomas, Ayden Keeley, Madison Brown and Jake Rick won their respective individual butterfly events. Maya Madison, Tessa Crouch, Christopher Keeley, Makenzie George and Colin Keeley were tops in their respective individual breaststroke events.The Sharks will host Grass Valley in another meet at the Auburn Racquet & Fitness Club Saturday at 9 a.m.