LA HABRA – Sonora swimmers Taylor Ault and Ben Blevins-Boor hit their early-season marks Monday at the Sonora Invitational.
The late-season breakthroughs could arrive in May, but both were encouraged by their final session of the two-day meet, which started Saturday.
Ault, a sophomore, captured the 500-yard freestyle in a swift 4 minutes, 55.23 seconds, while Blevins-Boor blasted a personal-best 47.34 to take the 100 freestyle.
Blevins-Boor sliced about two-tenths of a second off his time from the recent Big 10 Stampede in Texas with the Irvine Novaquatics. The 6-foot-3 sophomore flashed the time despite being in a standard trunks suit.
“I just really wanted to go a 47 in this meet,” Blevins-Boor said. “I want to be a 46-flat by the end of season. … I was just really pumped.”
Blevins-Boor later captured the 100 backstroke in 54.34, which like the 100 free, was an automatic qualifying time for CIF-SS Division 2. A 46.08 in the 100 free is the standard for All-America consideration.
“He has so much natural talent,” Sonora coach Todd Jacobsen said of Blevins-Boor, who has been training with the Novaquatics for about four years.
Ault showed her trademark finishing speed in her season-best 500, splitting her final 50 in 28.69, which was faster than all her 50s with the exception of her opening 50 (27.55).
“For right now in the season, unrested, that’s pretty good for me,” the U.S. junior national team member said. “Hopefully, throughout the season, I can bring it down. That’s my goal.”
Ault’s best 500 is 4:44.99 from a club meet with Armada in December. She also captured the 200 free on Monday with a 1:51.63.
Sonora freshman Simon Lamar swept the 200 (1:49.54) and 500 (4:44.25). Sonora’s Sarah Stacer also doubled with victories in the 200 individual medley (2:15.15) and 100 backstroke (59.99).
Sonora girls swept all three relays en route to the meet victory with 359 points, outdistancing La Serna at 279. La Serna’s boys outscored Sonora, 387-365, for the title.
Contact the writer: dalbano@ocregister.com
