Canyon Crest Academy Swim & Dive Team launches league season with Varsity Boys win

Canyon Crest Academy’s Swim and Dive Team opened the 2012 league season with a meet versus Del Norte High School on March 27. While the Varsity Boys team won their competition by total score, the Varsity Girls were edged out by 10 points.

“We need more girls to swim,” said Head Swim and Dive Coach Nico Kintz, a two-time Olympian swimmer himself, adding, “Let’s get the word out.”

Despite the high ratio of boys to girls on the team, Coach Nico expects CCA to retain its title as Valley League Swim and Dive champions this year. Additionally, he’s counting on having a strong presence at CIF in May.

Several student-atheletes on the team have already achieved times automatically qualifying them for CIF competition, including Carly Rasmussen in the 200 Individual Medley and 50 Free; Alex Chen in the 100 Breast; Garrett Schmid and David Twyman in the 100 Back; Ariel Vacheron in Dive; and two 200 Medley Relay teams including Alex Chen, Kyle Grozen, Matteo Lanza-Billeta, Kevin Li, and Garrett Schmid.

In addition to the automatic qualifications, divers Shelby Buford and Claudia See garnered point totals at the Del Norte meet earning them CIF consideration. Swimmers receiving CIF consideration in various events so far this season also include Dana Brems, Robert Burklund, Tiffany Chau, Raegan Correll, Charlie Doherty, John Guess, Gayla Hahn, Caiti McCallum, Marcus McCloskey, Dion Mohager, Daniel Santana, Eric Schade, Alesandro Thomson, Josh Trissel, Skylar Wiggins, Derek Yen, and Jonathan Zhu.