At the Golden West Sprint Invite held at Golden West College, the Rustlers won by a narrow margin over district rival Orange Coast College, 598.5-596.5. The twelve team competition featured some of the stronger programs in Southern California. Riverside CC (430), Grossmont College (343), Cerritos College (266) and El Camino College (237) rounded out the top six teams.

 

Golden West used a balance of power scoring a number of swimmers and relays in the top three and also accumulating points with scoring further down the results list.

 

Top Three Finishes included:

 

Freshman Ryan Novak won the 200 free (1:47.50) and the 500 free (4:46.90).

 

Jake M. Kiss, also a freshman, won the 200 IM (2:01.19) and was runner-up in the 500 free (4:57.50).

 

Gavin Little, a freshman, won the 50 breast with a time of 29.62.

 

The Wright brothers, Jack and Bobby, both first year students at GWC, went second and third respectively in the 200 IM recording 2:09.32 and 2:09.81 efforts.

 

James Smith collected a third place finish in the 50 back going 28.53.

 

Additionally, the Rustlers won the 800 free relay with a time of 7:19.96 with the quartet of M. Kiss, Daigo Fujita, Taylor Juarez and Novak. The foursome of M. KIss, Smith, Joao Goncalves and Novak picked up second in the 400 free relay with a time of 3:20.18.

 

Head Coach Tracy Maurer was pleased with the team's responses. "For many of our guys, today was their first meet with multiple teams but they raced well. We are all looking forward to the progress the entire team makes over the next three months."

Next action for the Rustlers will be this upcoming Friday at Saddleback College in the first Orange-Empire Conference Invitational.