RANCHO CORDOVA, CA (MPG) - The false start buzzer sounded even before the Cordova Lancers Swimmers took to the blocks and dove into the water. For a swim season to take shape, a team must secure a coaching staff at least one-hundredth of a second before the start of the upcoming season. Blocks and water, preferably in a competitive lap pool with lane lines, are among other must-haves for a High School swim team.

The Lancers have been without a home pool for a number of years, so the challenges to be overcome this season have also included the inconveniences and hardships of an hour plus of round-trip transportation to a borrowed pool.

There was real doubt that Cordova would be able get it together and overcome the rip-current of challenges to compete in the 2019 High School Swim Season, but the resilient spirit of the Lancers is not to be underestimated in rising above challenges and having one of the most successful swim seasons in Lancer memory.

The Cordova Lancers small but swift swim team competed against the following larger teams: Florin, Johnson, Natomas, Valley, and West Campus in Greater Sacramento League Division IV.

After a scoring controversy, the Cordova Lancers sank to 2nd place at the Division IV Championships, despite the Lancers having more 1st place medals and wins than all other teams. Florin was awarded 1st place. The Lancers had hoped to be the first swim team in Cordova’s history to proudly have a Division Champions banner on display at Cordova High.

Five (5) Lancers met qualifying time standards to compete against the best swimmers from over 100 schools at 2019 California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) Sac-Joaquin Section Swimming Championships held at Tokay High School, Lodi, California during May 02-04, 2019.

Junior, Anne Cocker, qualified for Sections seeded 47 out of 50 with a qualifying time of 26.50 seconds for the varsity girls’ 50-yard freestyle. Anne finished 35th and dropped 0.20 second for a new personal best time.

Sophomores, Josiah West (Captain), Caleb Lynch, Gabriel Tadlock, and freshman, Kove Pena earned a spot on the Boys Junior-Varsity 200-yard medley relay. Their qualifying time of 1:47.05 ranked them at 4 out of 34 teams going into prelims. With a time of 1:45.01 going into the finals they dropped into 6th out of 16 relay teams. The final touch at the wall had them medaling in 2nd place with a final time of 1:44.38.

Caleb Lynch, entered prelims with a seed time of was 52.85 seconds for the JV boys’ 100 yard freestyle placing him at 31st of 35 racers. Caleb darted to the medals heat in 2nd out of 16 with a time of 50.07 seconds. He earned a 2nd place finish with a final time of 49.78 seconds.

In the JV boys 100 Yard Breaststroke, Caleb qualified for Sections with a seed time 59.73 seconds and ranked 1 of 19 swimmers. A swim of 1:00.14 ranked him 5th out of 16 finalists going into medals heat. After smoking the field with a time of 59.59 seconds, Caleb earned a 1st place finish.

Gabriel Tadlock, prelim placement for JV boys’ 500 yard freestyle was 41 of 41 with a seed time 5:34.00 and finishing 32nd with an improved final time of 5:30.60.

Lancers swim captain Josiah West, qualified for JV boys 50 yard freestyle with prelims time of 23.86 seconds placing him at 31 of 36. He finished 19th with final time of 23.52 seconds.

In the JV boys 100 yard freestyle Josiah started at prelims with a time of 51.91 in 13 of 35 and with a final time of 54.18 seconds took 33rd place.

Freshman, Kove Pena entered prelims seeded 11th out of 39 for the JV boys 100 Yard Fly with a time of 57.12 seconds. After a trials swim of 55.96 seconds, Kove entered Finals in 8th place out of 16. Kove advanced to finish 7th overall with a time of 56.03 seconds.

The Junior-Varsity boys 400 Yard Free relay team qualified for the Section Championships ranked 17th out of 37 teams, with a qualifying time of 3:40.06. A time of 3:31.21 in Trials moved them up to 7th out of 16 for the medals heat. After the fingertips touched the wall and the splashing settling down the boys turned in a 3rd place finish with a Lancer r e c o r d - breaking time of 3:26.75.

The 2019 Lancer Fresh-Soph Boys beat the 2018 Lancer Varsity Boys Record Breaking 400 Relay time of 3:27.11 by nearly a half-second with their 3:26.75 swim.

The Cordova Lancer Junior-Varsity boys placed 4th overall and 2nd in Division II at 2019 California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) Sac-Joaquin Section Swimming Championships despite swimming in the lower Division IV during the season.