Golden West College Mens' Swim Team took their collective talents out to Riverside City College where they got a chance to swim multiple events over the course of two days. The team results were again promising as they finished second overall with 588 points. Orange Coast College was their usual powerful force as they accumulated 1045 points. However, the Rustlers outlasted El Camino College (470), the host RCC team (456) and Grossmont (429) to round out the top five of the eleven teams entered.
As has been their pattern, it was a solid exhibition of depth from the entire team that provided the bulk of points scored over the weekend. To finish second overall as a team and actually win only one event is a good indicator of widespread talent.
Tommy Kelly, one of the more versatile swimmers in recent Rustler aquatic history was the lone event winner as he took the 200 freestyle race in a blazing 1:45.68 as he rocketed home on the last 75 yards to record fifth fastest time in California to this point in the season. He also dropped 12 seconds in the 200 fly nabbing fourth place with a 1:59.93 time. On Sunday, in the span of eleven minutes, he placed second in the 200 back (2:01.31) and third in the 200 breast (2:22.25).
Zach Bishop, a sprinter from Florida, showed off his varied talents as well. On Friday, he dropped four seconds in his 200 individual medley to garner fourth in the race. He followed up on that with a bronze finish in the 100 back. Nolan Chomin also picked up a fourth place finish in the 200 free with a solid 1:49.77 effort.
The real strength was displayed in the four relays that GWC broke into the top four overall. Friday's relays included the 200 free relay and 800 free relay. The foursome of Zach Bishop, Joao Goncalves, Tommy Kelly and Kyle Sary came in fourth overall. The end of the day had Thomas Woodley, Goncalves, Nolan Chomin and Kelly drop five seconds to grab third. Saturday featured the 400 free relay with the Rustlers again getting fourth behind the efforts of Chomin, Sary, Kelly and Bishop. The day ended with another four second drop in the 400 medley relay with Kelly, Thomas Woodley, Bishop and Sary again taking fourth overall.
"It was a tough weekend schedule, but it is great preparation for the three day conference meet later next month," commented Head coach Tracy Maurer. "We had guys swimming some tough combinations on little rest both at the meet and with our training. Overall, I was very pleased with our team's efforts.
