Photo by Victor Moreno

Maricopa High School opened the season for its first-ever swim team in a tri-meet Thursday against Poston Butte and Apache Junction.

“It was a great effort/showing for our first-ever meet,” head coach Laura Logan said.

The boys’ team place second, and the girls were third.

Ram swimmers placing first were freshman Connor Schrader in the 500-meter freestyle in 5:35.4, and sophomore Olivia Byers, also in the 500 free, in 6:17.7.

Second-place performances came from Schrader in the 100-meter butterfly, Nolan Ford in the 100-meter backstroke, Aubree Witteman in the 100 fly, the boys’ 400-meter freestyle relay team of Ford, Victor Moreno, Kian Caroll and Schrader, and the girls 400 free relay team of Aubree Witteman, Emily Hollingworth, Eva Zavala and Byers.

Finishing in third were Rafe Scoresby in the 200 free, Byers in the 200-meter individual medley, Witteman in the 200 free, Mandy Caroll in the 50 free, Meghan Jackson in the 100-meter breaststroke, the boys’ 200-meter medley relay team of Schrader, Joseph Lambert, Moreno and Ford, and the girls’ 400 free relay team of Emily Frauth, Kaitlyn Crean, Deborah Stenzel and Malia Kealoha.

Pima Butte won the boys’ competition with an overall score of 143 points. MHS had 82 and Apache Junction 68. Pima Butte also won the girls’ competition with 119 points. Apache Junction had 91 points and MHS 85.

Maricopa hosts its first home meet Sept. 6 at 4 p.m. at Copper Sky against American Leadership Academy and Valley Christian.

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