Lahaina Swim Club was the top small team at the recent 2017 USA Swimming State Age Group Long Course Championships.

LAHAINA – Lahaina Swim Club scored 390 points to finish the 2017 USA Swimming State Age Group Long Course Championships in fifth place overall at the meet held at Kihei Aquatic Center July 15-16. The LSC finish was far and away the top Maui County team performance, and it once again showcased the strength and perseverance of the West Side club to compete stroke for stroke with the behemoths that converged on the Valley Isle for the event.

Lahaina finished behind Kamehameha, Hawaii Swim Club (a conglomerate of several clubs across the state), Punahou, and Aulea to capture the fifth place trophy and secure the unofficial “small club” championship.

Said Kirsten Byers, the summertime head coach of LSC when Tom Popdan returns to fill the lifeguard chair at his former home at New Jersey during the summer months, “This has been really fun to watch these kids grow and succeed in so many ways.”

Indeed, the LSC roster showed improvements in best times across the board. From the ten and under youngsters up through the age 17-18 teenagers, the entire Lahaina contingent contributed their top performances of the season to add points to the team total that boosted them to the top-five finish.

The LSC lineup included Yuna Lee, Noelle Sheveland, Lexi Anderson, Alicia Wintermyer, Hailey Bogar, Donna Hernandez Herrera, Isabella Omura, Ezra Offergeld, Noah Caiserman, Noah Richard, Mathew Iverson, LT Stancil, Maison Alexander, Jaden Yip and Slater Fleck.

Among that group, LT Stancil, Mathew Iverson and Yuna Lee all exceeded qualifying times for the Western Zone Age Group Championships on Aug. 8 at Clovis, California. Also in early August, Lexi Anderson will compete in the USA Swimming Futures Championships at Santa Clara, California.

Coach Kirsten, herself a collegiate competitor for four years at UCLA, added that all of the team members contributed to the success on relays and in support of their teammates.

“Also, we’d like to send our appreciation out to the LSC board members and all of the parents for their support throughout the year,” she concluded.