THORNTON | The gap closed a bit this season, but the Hinkley boys swim team still managed to win the East Metro Athletic Conference championship for a third straight season.
Coach Beth Himes’ co-op team — made up of swimmers from schools around the Aurora Public Schools District — held off Northglenn/Thornton by just two points when the two-day meet wrapped up Saturday afternoon at the Veterans’ Memorial Aquatic Center.
The Thunderbirds had two individual champions in senior Tim Martin in the 100 yard breaststroke and diver Eustace Oakley and finished in the top three of all three relay events to piled up 473 points, two more than the Northglenn/Thornton team with 471. Brighton wasn’t far behind, either, with 462 points at the meet contested in the same pool where the 5A state meet will take place May 16-17.
Five EMAC meet records were established in the finals session, including the time of 1 minute, 2.90 seconds posted by Martin in winning the breaststroke. Martin also finished second in the 200 individual medley and helped the 200 medley relay team to a runner-up finish and the 400 freestyle team to a third.
Oakley posted a score of 265.85 points to win the diving title and later collected the EMAC Diver of the Year award. His coach, Dominic Butts — a former Overland diver — was selected EMAC Dive Coach of the Year.
Steve Banuelos-Loya (second in 100 breaststroke, third in 50 freestyle), Andy Stockinger (third in 200 freestyle) and Jebb Askew (third in 100 butterfly) all posted at least one top-three finish for Hinkley, which came away from the meet with three new state qualifiers as well.
Full meet results, here.
Courtney Oakes is Sports Editor of the Aurora Sentinel. Reach him at 303-750-7555 or sports@aurorasentinel.com. Twitter: @aurorasports. Facebook: Aurora Prep Sentinel
2014 EMAC CHAMPIONSHIPS BOYS SWIM MEET
Team Scores: 1. HINKLEY 473 points; 2. Northglenn/Thornton 471; 3. Brighton 462; 4. Adams City 229; 5. Westminster 176
200 yard medley relay: A Final — 1. Brighton, 1 minute, 45.33 seconds (League Record); 2. HINKLEY (Andy Stockinger, Tim Martin, Steve Banuelos-Loya, Julian Prieto), 1:46.34; 3. Northglenn/Thornton, 1:47.81; 4. Westminster, 2:05.02; 5. Adams City, 2:18.42
200 yard freestyle: A Final — 1. S. Kelly (Brighton), 2 minutes, 1.49 seconds; 2. M. Janke (Northglenn/Thornton), 2:07.23; 3. ANDY STOCKINGER (HINKLEY), 2:08.05; 4. A. Prasad (Northglenn/Thornton), 2:12.44; 5. R. Perez (Brighton), 2:20.98; 6. E. Rocha (Adams City), 2:22.10; 7. H. Kilbreath (Brighton), 2:24.16; 8. G. Flores (Adams City), 2:29.37
200 yard indiv. medley: A Final — 1. M. Schilz (Northglenn/Thornton), 2 minutes, 0.67 seconds (League Record); 2. TIM MARTIN (HINKLEY), 2:04.92; 3. C. Johnson (Brighton), 2:17.67; 4. B. Strong (Northglenn/Thornton), 2:23.77; 5. DAVID CANALES (HINKLEY), 2:36.17; 6. MANUEL HERNANDEZ (HINKLEY), 2:44.56; 7. NICOLAS FLORES (HINKLEY), 2:46.07; 8. J. Randolph (Northglenn/Thornton), 2:53.47
50 yard freestyle: A Final — 1. Ju. Prieto (Brighton), 21.85 seconds (League Record); 2. A. Hewlett (Brighton), 22.04; 3. STEVE BANUELOS-LOYA (HINKLEY), 22.20; 4. J. Gomez (Northglenn/Thornton), 22.57; 5. Jo. Prieto (Brighton), 22.63; 6. JOSEPH GRAFF (HINKLEY), 23.07; 7. IAN THOMSON (HINKLEY), 23.21; 8. JEBB ASKEW (HINKLEY), 24.03
1-meter diving: 1. EUSTACE OAKLEY (HINKLEY), 265.85 points; 2. J. Kniss (Brighton), 251.70; 3. J. Neff (Adams City), 238.00; 4. JUAN HERNANDEZ (HINKLEY), 235.35; 5. J. Tejada (Northglenn/Thornton), 219.35; 6. S. Oliva (Westminster), 208.10; 7. I. Ortiz (Northglenn/Thornton), 192.85
100 yard butterfly: A Final — 1. C. Zeilstra (Brighton), 56.57 seconds; 2. L. Thompson (Northglenn/Thornton), 58.49; 3. JEBB ASKEW (HINKLEY), 1:08.61; 4. A. Prasad (Northglenn/Thornton), 1:09.85; 5. M. Barnes (Brighton), 1:15.10; 6. SAM PAGE (HINKLEY), 1:15.15; 7. G. Flores (Adams City), 1:16.85; 8. S. Oliva (Westminster), 1:17.42
100 yard freestyle: A Final — 1. A. Hewlett (Brighton), 51.72 seconds; 2. J. Gomez (Northglenn/Thornton), 52.73; 3. J. Prieto (Brighton), 53.06; 4. JOSEPH GRAFF (HINKLEY), 54.78; 5. IAN THOMSON (HINKLEY), 56.84; 6. DAVID CANALES (HINKLEY), 58.93; 7. D. Davidek (Westminster), 59.33; 8. T. Deaguero (Adams City), 1:00.58
500 yard freestyle: A Final — 1. L. Thompson (Northglenn/Thornton), 5 minutes, 10.48 seconds; 2. S. Kelly (Brighton), 5:42.05; 3. B. Strong (Northglenn/Thornton), 5:57.06; 4. J. Renteria (Adams City), 6:18.06; 5. R. Perez (Brighton), 6:36.09; 6. J. Randolph (Northglenn/Thornton), 6:45.46; 7. S. Saldivar (Brighton), 6:57.68; 8. J. Johns (Northglenn/Thornton), 7:00,13
200 yard freestyle relay: A Final — 1. Brighton, 1 minute, 35.95 seconds; 2. HINKLEY (Ian Thomson, Moses Jones, David Canales, Jebb Askew), 1:42.34; 3. Northglenn/Thornton, 1:44.73; 4. Adams City, 1:47.52; 5. Westminster, 1:49.17
100 yard backstroke: A Final — 1. M. Schilz (Northglenn/Thornton), 57.83 seconds; 2. Ju. Prieto (Brighton), 59.18; 3. C. Zeilstra (Brighton), 1:01.85; 4. ANDY STOCKINGER (HINKLEY), 1:04.50; 5. M. Janke (Northglenn/Thornton), 1:04.74; 6. D. Kountz (Northglenn/Thornton), 1:10.53; 7. ERIC CANALES (HINKLEY), 1:11.28; 8. H. Kilbreath (Brighton), 1:11.65
100 yard breaststroke: A Final — 1. TIM MARTIN (HINKLEY), 1 minute, 2.90 seconds (League Record); 2. STEVE BANUELOS-LOYA (HINKLEY), 1:05.02; 3. C. Johnson (Brighton), 1:08.41; 4. A. Helbok (Adams City), 1:16.55; 5. J. Kassel (Northglenn/Thornton), 1:16.87; 6. MANUEL HERNANDEZ (HINKLEY), 1:18.70; 7. NICOLAS FLORES (HINKLEY), 1:20.68; 8. L. Acosta (Westminster), 1:21.16
400 yard freestyle relay: 1. Northglenn/Thornton, 3 minutes. 28.60 seconds (League Record); 2. Brighton, 3:29.13; 3. HINKLEY (Joseph Graff, Andy Stockinger, Steve Banuelos-Loya, Tim Martin), 3:34.72; 4. Westminster, 4:31.04; 5. Adams City, 4:36.61