Benicia High’s swimming team capped off another successful Solano County Athletic Conference season by winning both the boys and girls pennants at last weekend’s SCAC Championship Meet.

The Lady Panthers scored 439 points to top host American Canyon (293), Fairfield (143), Jesse Bethel (79) and Vallejo (73). The Panther boys earned 400 points, well ahead of American Canyon (230), Vallejo (127), Fairfield (125) and Bethel (75).

It’s the 11th straight SCAC championship for the Panther boys and the third consecutive title for the Lady Panthers, who set SCAC Championship Meet records in five events.

Alyssa Powell won two events in record time. The sophomore defended her 100 butterfly title and became the first to break the minute mark, setting the record in prelims (1:00.09) and bettering it in finals (59.56), taking down Allie Danel’s (Fairfield) 2004 mark. Powell also set a new standard for the 100 backstroke (1:03.96), breaking Camille Long’s (Rodriguez) 2012 record.

Junior captain Hannah Barlow became the fastest SCAC girl ever, winning the 50 freestyle (25.73) and breaking Benicia alum Nicole Oettinger’s 2004 mark. Barlow also won the 100 freestyle (58.05), successfully defending both her 2014 titles.

Sophomores Esther Hurst and Kelsi Norman and freshman Samantha Man joined Powell in smashing the 200 medley relay record held by Benicia since 2004 by almost four seconds (1:55.69). Hurst, Man, Powell and Barlow dropped two seconds off the 200 free relay record (1:43.40) which the Panthers had set last year. The team of Barlow, Norman, senior captain Nicole Peck and junior Amelia Arechy also won the 400 free relay (3:56.29).

Senior David Larson was a dual winner for the Benicia boys in the 200 freestyle (1:49.36) and 500 freestyle (5:02.35), taking high points and successfully defending his title in the latter. The Panther senior captains had a great meet. Evan Sousa won the 50 free (22.79) in section time and also qualified in the 100 free (third, 51.45); Cris Gomez won the 100 free (50.88) and took second in the 50 free; and Nick Barlow qualified for sections in both the 50 free (fourth, 22.83p) and 100 free (second, 50.99). Senior Tim Man won the 100 breaststroke (1:05.19) and juniors Xavier Quintana and Matt “Moose” Simonson won the 100 butterfly (56.29) and 100 backstroke (1:02.61), respectively.

The Panther boys also won the 200 medley relay (Simonson, Man, Quintana, Barlow), 200 free relay (Gomez, Simonson, Barlow, Sousa) and 400 free relay (Gomez, Sousa, Larson, Man).

“I’m very proud of this talented group of scholar athletes, especially our seniors,” said Panther head coach Jeff Kuta. “They’ve competed at a high level all season, but we still have a few more big goals to accomplish at sections.”

Twenty-four Panthers will compete at the 2015 CIF Sac Joaquin Section Championships from May 14-16 at Tokay High School in Lodi.

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