Returning talent aplenty
Hawks boast 8 of last year’s top 9 local boys swimmers, girls state contender Tunell
Gila Ridge had nine swimmers qualify for last year’s Division II state meet in at least one individual event. Not one was a senior. With everybody back this year, the Hawks’ outlook is bright.
Boys-wise, Gila Ridge returns seven reigning Yuma Sun/Yuma Rotary Club all-region selections. That includes six swimmers who swam two individual events at last year’s state meet: seniors Talen Osborn, Ira Evans, Lane Mellon and Aidan Lines, and juniors Devon Wheeler and Miko Lamayo. But that isn’t all. The Hawks have added an eighth reigning allregion selection in senior Jessip Salizzoni, who swam two events for Kofa at last year’s Division I state meet and has since transferred to Gila Ridge.
On the girls side, the Hawks welcome back the most accomplished swimmer in the area — senior Sydney Tunell, the twotime reigning Yuma Sun/ Yuma Rotary Club Girls Swimmer of the Year and a two-event top-eight placer at state last year.
“I think it’s going to be a good year for all of them,” Gila Ridge coach Greg Brown said.
Individually, Tunell’s outlook is the brightest.
Last year, she dominated locally every event she swam — whether the 50 free (season-best 24.82), 100 free (54.58), 100 back (58.98) or 100 fly (59.46). At state, she finished tied for sixth in the 50 free and seventh in the 100 back.
What are the expectations for her this year?
“Podium, podium (at state) — in both of her events,” Brown said. “She’s got to get on for both; she’ll be top-eight minimum. This is her swan song, everything she’s worked up to. She’s ready to leave some kind of mark, for sure.” Brown said.
According to Brown, Tunell is currently being recruited by the likes of the University of San Diego. Interest should only continue to grow throughout the season given her history of improvement.
“We haven’t had a season yet where her times haven’t dropped during the high school season, so I would expect the same,” Brown said.
Though Gila Ridge’s girls team is nowhere near as deep as the boys, it does boast two other returning state qualifiers in junior Zoe Carll (100 breast qualifier) and sophomore diver Taylor Poole.
“I’d like to see Zoe make it to state again; she has potential in the (100) breast or 200 IM, maybe even the 500 (free) this year,” Brown said. “Beyond that, we’ve got a bunch of girls in the same pack where they’re going to help on relays, but they’re definitely not the swimmers we’ve had in past years. It’s their time to step up and decide to be as good as the ones who came before them.”
Sophomore Rachel Pauly, like Carll and Poole, was an all-region selection last year, but her availability for this season is in question due to health.
“If she shows up and we can get her back into shape in a month it’s a different story,” Brown said. “Without her, we’ll have to fill in some holes for sure.”
There are no holes on Gila Ridge’s boys team.
Osborn (8th in 50 free, 10th in 100 free) and Wheeler (13th in 200 free, 15th in 500 free) are the headliners,