Cordova Swim Team Enjoys Season in Home Pool

RANCHO CORDOVA, CA (MPG) - On Friday, April 21, 2022, Cordova High School once again hosted the Greater Sacramento League (GSL) swimming Championships at the Cordova Community Pool Complex. The competition included swim teams from Natomas, Valley, West Campus, Florin and Cordova.  GSL Championship Team Honors once again went to West Campus for boys and girls. Only 9 points separated Cordova’s girls team and West Campus for 1^st place honors.

Cordova had several athletes make it to the finals. For the boys, they had Team Captain, sophomore Cody Sharratt, place 4^th in the 50 yd Free and 4^th 100 yd Breastroke, sophomore Quinten Marks placed 2^nd in both the 200 yd Free and 500 yd Free. Sophomore James Abdulla finished 3^rd in the 200 yd IM and 5^th in the 100 yd Freestyle. Sophomore Tyler Schubin finished 4^th in the 100 yd Free and 2^nd in the 100 Backstroke. First time swimmers senior William Hammann finished 5^th in the 100 yd Breastroke and 3^rd in the 100 Butterfly, and freshman Ardi Rodil finished 5^th in the 100 Backstroke. The Men’s team had many new personal bests and placed 2^nd overall.

For the girls’ team, senior Kaeli Savorn won 1^st in both her events, the 200 yd IM and 50 Freestyle, earning her 2 All League patches. Team Captain, sophomore Themi McKenzie-Macias won her 100 yd Backstroke and placed 2^nd in the 100 yd Freestyle. Senior Lupita Lopez placed 2^nd in the 200 yd Freestyle and 3^rd in the 100 yd Butterfly. Sophomore Nia Danelia placed 3^rd in the 200 Freestyle and 5^th in the 500 yd Freestyle. Sophomore Celia Portillo finished 5^th in the 200 yd Freestyle and 4^th in the 100 Breastroke. Senior Selma Portillo placed 5^th in the 200 yd IM and 3^rd in the 100 yd Backstroke. Senior Claire Pearce placed 6^th in the 50 Freestyle and 2^nd in the 100 yd Breastroke. First time swimmer, junior Ariella Taitague, placed 6^th in the 100 yd Freestyle.  The Cordova Women’s 200 Medley Relay finished 1st with a time of 2:09.66, and also finished 1^st in the 400 Free Relay with a time of 4:28.59. Relay team members were McKenzie-Macias, Pearce, Lopez, and Savorn. 

On a very high note, Savorn, broke 2 more school records at the championships this year.  The first record broken was in the Women’s Varsity 200 Individual Medley previously set by Kaylin Kemper in 2009 with a time of 2:20.85. Kaeli broke that record with a time of 2:16.61. The second record to fall was the 50 yd Freestyle that was previously set by Rancho Cordova Sports Hall of Fame inductee Angie Matheu back in 1999 with a time of 25.15. Kaeli broke that record with a time of 24.80. Last year, Savorn broke a 22-year-old record in the 100 yd Butterfly event, also held by Matheu, with a time of 1:01.43.   

Head Coach Gabrielle Avallone better known as Coach Gabi is very proud of her team and how the swim program is improving. Cordova’s team has been in the rebuilding mode ever since the pandemic. In 2021 the swim team roster had only 7 members. Last year Cordova had 13 swimmers and this year they increased the number to 18. The pre-pandemic Cordova swim team roster had 40 members.  “This year’s team might be small, but everyone has worked so hard this year. They inspire me and I know they inspire others with their hard work and dedication”, said Coach Gabi.   Coach Gabi had some very experienced help with the team this year and has great praise for her assistant coaches. “I could not do this without Assistant Coaches Kove Pena and Roxanne Tursi. Their coaching skills and experience with this team was crucial to the success we had this season”, said coach Gabi.

Savorn and McKenzie-Macias have both qualified for the CIF Sectionals. Savorn will be swimming the 100 yd Freestyle and the 100 yd Butterfly. McKenzie-Macias will be swimming the 100 Freestyle and 100 yd Backstroke. CIF Swim Sectionals will be occurring at Tokay High School in Lodi, Calif., on May 4-6.  We all wish them both good luck in this upcoming competition. GO BIG RED!