VAST has great showing at season opener

The Vermillion Area Swim Team hit the road for its first meet of the winter season, travelling to Norfolk, NE, for the annual Jenna Krivohlavek Memorial Invite, which brought many first-place finishes and numerous best times.

Pictured are (back) Coach Mel Mahowald, Coach Mike Moran and (front) Maria Bennett, Megan Muriuki and Gabe Telleria. Megan was the 8 and under high point winner for the Jenna Krivohlavek Memorial Invite meet, Gabe was the 8 and under high point winner for the meet, and Maria Bennett and Raphael Sternadori (not pictured) were given a 6 and under participation award for the meet. Both swimmers are 6; Maria is in her first season with VAST and Raphael is in his second season. (Photo courtesy of Matt Lavin)

Twenty-three swimmers from VAST made the trip. 

Leading the way were the 8-and-under swimmers. Megan Muriuki was first in four out of five events, and won the girls 8-and-under high-point award for the meet. Gabe Telleria was also the boys 8-and-under high-point winner for VAST. He, too, won four out of five events.

Other VAST swimmers who won individual events were Lexie Malimanek, winning the girls 11-12 500 freestyle, and Kaitlin Todd, who finished in first place in the girls 15-18 100-yard backstroke.

Swimmers in VAST relays were the fastest many times during the day as well. In the 8-and-under girls 100 medley, Tally Allison, Kayleen Job, Annika Granaas, and Muriuki touched the wall first.  Those four girls also won the 8-and-under 100 freestyle Relay at the end of the day. 

In the 10-and-under division, Annika Holdhusen, Toria Andre, Isabel Telleria and Anna Van Holland were victorious in the 200 medley relay, and in the 12-and-under division, Maddie Lavin, Ashley Kneifl, Abril Telleria and Lexie Malimanek teamed up to win both the 200 medley and 200 freestyle relays.

The highlight of the day was in the girls 9-10 division.  Second-year swimmer Anna Van Holland stepped up to the blocks and dropped 19 seconds off her personal best in the 100-yard freestyle, finishing second for VAST. 

Head Coach Mike Moran said that, for the first meet of the year, it was a great showing. 

"Having the number of swimmers we had attend this meet is a great thing," Moran said.  "All of our kids had a good meet, dropping times in many events.  All of the coaches are looking forward to another successful season." 

He went on to praise the efforts of the new swimmers on the team, Annika Holdhusen, Nic Harris and Maria Bennett, who have been swimming with VAST since September.

"They did an outstanding job in their first meet," Moran said. "All of our coaches are very proud of their efforts."

The long winter season continues for VAST as the team travels to Sioux Center, IA, on Saturday, Nov. 12.

VAST INDIVIDUAL RESULTS

NORFOLK, NEB. – NOV. 5, 2011

Tally Allison (Female 8 & Under): 100 Free, 2nd place; 25 Back, 4th; 25 Breast, 4th; 25 Free, 3rd; 100 IM, 3rd

Toria Andre (Female 9-10): 100 Free, 10th; 50 Back, 10th; 50 Breast, 9th; 50 Free, 12th

Maria Bennett (Female 8 & Under): 25 Back, 18th; 25 Free, 17th

Annika Granaas (Female 8 & Under): 100 Free, 5th; 25 Back, 6th; 25 Breast, 10th; 25 Free, 7th

Olivia Granaas (Female 9-10): 100 Free, 13th; 50 Back, 8th; 50 Free, 16th

Nic Harris (Male 9-10): 100 Free, 15th; 50 Back, 13th; 50 Breast, 11th; 50 Free, 15th

Annika Holdhusen (Female, 9-10): 100 Free, 11th; 50 Back, 7th; 50 Free, 14th

Kayleen Job (Female 8 & Under): 100 Free, 3rd; 25 Back, 5th; 25 Breast, 7th; 25 Free, 6th

Ashley Kneifl (Female 11-12): 100 Free, 12th; 50 Breast, 8th; 50 Free, 8th; 200 Free, 5th

Jacob Krier (Male 15-18): 500 Free, 3rd; 100 Free, 4th; 100 Back, 3rd; 50 Free, 5th; 200 Free, 4th

Hunter Lavin (Male 9-10): 100 Free, 11th; 50 Fly, 8th; 50 Breast, 6th; 50 Free, 10th; 200 Free, 2nd

Maddie Lavin (Female 11-12): 100 Free, 5th; 50 Fly, 2nd; 50 Back, 4th; 50 Free, 5th; 200 Free, 2nd

Lexi Law (Female 13-14): 100 Free, 12th; 100 Back, 8th; 100 Breast, 12th; 50 Free, 16th; 200 Free, 10th

Lexie Malimanek (Female 11-12): 500 Free, 1st; 50 Fly, 3rd; 50 Back, 3rd; 200 IM, 2nd; 200 Free, 2nd

Kyleigh Moran (Female, 13-14): 100 Free, 4th; 100 Back, 5th; 100 Breast, 4th; 50 Free, 5th; 200 Free, 2

Megan Muriuki (Female 8 & Under): 100 Free, 1st; 25 Back, 1st; 25 Breast, 2nd; 50 Free, 1st; 100 IM, 1st

Raphael Sternadori (Female 8 & Under): 25 Back, 10th; 25 Free, 6th

Abril Telleria (Female 11-12): 100 Free, 8th; 50 Back, 8th; 50 Breast, 4th; 50 Free, 9th; 200 Free, 4th

Gabe Telleria (Male 8 & Under): 100 Free, 1st; 25 Fly, 2nd; 25 Back, 1st; 25 Breast, 1st; 25 Free, 1st

Isabel Telleria (Female 9-10): 100 Free, 3rd; 50 Back, 3rd; 50 Free, 4th; 200 Free, 3rd

Kaitlin Todd (Female 15-18): 100 Free, 3rd; 100 Back, 1st; 50 Free, 5th; 200 IM, 2nd; 200 Free, 4th

Anna Van Holland (Female 9-10): 100 Free, 2nd; 50 Breast, 3rd; 50 Free, 3rd; 200 Free, 2nd

Charlie Ward (Male 8 & Under): 100 Free, 3rd; 25 Back,  6th; 25 Breast, 4th; 25 Free, 3rd