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Dolphins place 3rd in MVSL meet
High-point winner Ballew among the 50-plus to qualify for MOC
MVSL Championships
Members of the Manteca Dolphins Swim Team with the third-place team trophy earned last Saturday, July 15 in the Mid-Valley Swim League Championships in Brentwood. Photo by ROBERT ROBLES
JONAMAR JACINTO
The Bulletin
Published: Jul 22, 2023, 5:42 AM

Spearheaded by high-point winner Bayan Ballew, the Manteca Dolphins placed third in the Mid-Valley Swim League Championships last Saturday, July 15 at Liberty High of Brentwood.

More than 50 Dolphins hit qualifying times for the 21st annual Sacramento Valley Meet of Champions.

The Discovery Bay River Otters claimed the MVSL team title with 1,845 points with the Tracy Tritons (1,152) coming in second. The Modesto Mavericks (759) and Ripon Sea Lions (426.5) rounded out the team standings. Manteca finished with 892.5 points.

MVSL Championships
Bayen Ballew of the Manteca Dolphins holds up the 13-14-year-old boys high-point trophy last Saturday, July 15 in the Mid-Valley Swim League Championships hosted at Liberty High in Brentwood. Photo by ROBERT ROBLES
Ballew dominated en route to tallying his 33 individual points, good for first place in the 13-14-year-old boys division. He was the finals victor in the 100-yard freestyle (55.57 seconds), 50 butterfly (26.10) and 50 free (24.27)

Teammate Dominic Bossen finished second in the 13-14 boys division, winning the 100 individual medley (1 minute, 8.21 seconds), 50 breaststroke and taking second in the 50 free.

The Dolphins duo was also part of the winning 200 medley and 200 free relays teams with Alexander Freeman and Caleb McKelvie.

Jayde Taylor-Slater finished tied as the overall runner-up in 6-under girls, coming up two points shy of the leader. She took first in the 25 fly (26.93).

In 9-10 girls, was tied for second with a win in the 100 free (1:14.05).

Christian Robles-Fernandez claimed the 100 IM (1:21.05) on his way to ending in a second-place tie in 11-12 boys.

Jiana Sanchez took second in the high-point standings, notching first-place points in the 50 free (29.61) for the 17-18 girls division. Also in 17-18 girls, Alayna Bottoms came in first in the 100 fly (1:14.52).

The Ripon Sea Lions had three swimmers make the high-point standings.

Vianna Hopper and Bailey Brayton finished 1-2, respectively, in 11-12 girls, with only 1.5 points separating them. Sara Davis was the overall champ in 7-8 girls.

The Meet of Champions takes place July 29-30 at Vista del Lago High in Folsom.