Grand Terrace Swim Team Talent Runs Deep

GRAND TERRACE >> Grand Terrace High School’s Swim Team has exceeded expectations this season as some of these talented swimmers hold records for their school. Their success extends to League Finals, and continues with some of the swimmers clenching their spot in CIF. According to Head Coach Elissa Kirkland, their goal as a team going in to season was "to improve overall in wins. For boys to win League again. For the girls: to have more wins this season. Overall, for swimmers to compete at CIF," she said. The Grand Terrace swimmers didn't only meet those expectations. "[They] exceeded all of my goals this year," Kirkland shared. "I was really worried about my girl's team this year with losing several seniors and some female swimmers that didn't come back, but we had a great turnout of new girls and our returners really set the bar high." At League Finals, eight Grand Terrace swimmers took first place titles. Junior Kaylee Robles placed first for the 200 Free and the 100 Fly. Freshman Emma Arroyo took first for the 200 IM. Junior Alex Ideishi placed first for the 200 Free and 100 Back. Senior Issac Ballesteros took first for the 200 IM. Alex Ideishi, Junior Jonathan Thunquest, Issac Ballesteros and Senior Tanner Cline took first for the 200 Medley Relay and 400 Free Relay. The accolades didn't stop there as the men's All-League MVP went to GT's own Junior Alex Ideishi while the women's All-League MVP went to GT's Junior Kaylee Robles. In order to advance to CIF, swimmers had to place in the top 36 times in the whole division, across all events. Jonathan Thunquest, Alex Ideishi. Tanner Cline, Issac Ballesteros, and Kaylee Robles successfully clenched their spot in CIF. "I really expected my one girl, Kaylee to make CIF, and 2 events for my boys: the 400 relay and Alex in backstroke," Kirkland explained. "I was pleasantly surprised for Kaylee to qualify for 7 out of 8 individual events and for the boys to make it in the medley relay, the 200 relay, and 2 boys in the 100 fly. These were unexpected but great surprises." Kirkland also expressed the impressive improvements throughout the season. "Our JV boys really stepped up and bettered their times. They really pushed the varsity boys to get better because they were competing all season for varsity spots." Several of the new girls take over the top A spots, she said. "It really pushed our returning top two girls to better their times individually and in their relays." An emotional Coach Kirkland added, "I am really going to miss this group of seniors. Many of them started as freshmen and really helped to form this team when it began."