MUSCATINE, Iowa–March 17-19, 16 Manta Rays swimmers made the trip to Des Moines to swim in the North Central Regional Championship Swim Meet. The culmination of an exciting and challenging season, the athletes demonstrated great growth at the meet and brought many honors home with them to the Muscatine Community Y.

The largest meet that the Manta Rays compete in each year, Muscatine’s athletes competed in 76 individual events and 10 relays. Due to a number of factors, swimmers have had fewer opportunities to swim relays in the past few years. Manta Rays Head Coach Jocelyn Paxton shared that many of the swimmers felt particularly excited to get to do them again this year. “Between COVID restrictions, lower numbers of athletes participating in regionals, and other regulations, we, as a team, have not been able to have relays at regionals for several years,” she explained. “The kids absolutely love being able to compete together on relays; it was probably their favorite part of the experience.”

A group of Manta Rays swimmers at the North Central Regional Championship Swim Meet in Des Moines. Photo courtesy Jocelyn Paxton.

In both their individual and relay events, Muscatine swimmers did quite well.

First place:

• Santi Diaz: 100 meter individually medley and 200 meter backstroke.
• Audrey Lee: 50 meter breast stroke.

Second place:

• Jeyadev Balachandar: 100 meter backstroke, 200 meter backstroke, 500 meter freestyle, and 1,000 meter freestyle.
• Keira Kassel: 50 meter backstroke and 50 meter freestyle.
• Harper Mitchell, Keira Kassel, Alexandra Lee, and Izzy Radle: eight and under medley relay, 100 meter freestyle relay, and 200 meter freestyle relay.

Third place:

• Santi Diaz: 100 meter backstroke.
• Eden Hunter, McKenna Kassel, Kinsley Krieger, and Audrey Lee: 10 and under 200 meter medley relay.
• Keira Kassel: 100 meter freestyle.
• Alexandra Lee: 50 meter backstroke.
• Audrey Lee: 100 meter breaststroke.
• Harper Mitchell: 100 meter individual medley.

They also placed highly overall, far exceeding their performance last year. In 2022, they placed 16th with a total of 313.50 points. This year, they placed eighth out of 35 scoring teams with 920 total points. A number of swimmers placed overall as well.

• Eight and under girls:
  • 4th: Keira Kassel.
  • 9th: Alexandra Lee.
  • 11th: Harper Mitchell.
  • 20th Isabelle Radle.
• Nine-10 girls:
  • 7th: Audrey Lee.
•  Nine-10 boys:
  • 12th: Maverick Erwin.
• 11-12 boys:
  • 3rd: Santi Diaz .
  • 4th:Jeydev Blachandar.

Because the regional meet has two sessions each day, one for those 10 and under and another for those 11 and up, as well as two separate pools for boys and girls events, it moved at a much faster pace than any of the other meets the Manta Rays swum at. Swimmers could also enter a larger number of events they qualified for than at other meets, leading to much less time to rest in between events. “The meet is face paced, with little or no recovery time between swims, there are athletes competing that we don’t normally see during the regular season, the kids are allowed to swim several more events each day than they are used to swimming . . . and the environment can be overwhelming,” Paxton explained.

Still, the Manta Rays managed their time effectively and did well in their different events. “Our athletes did phenomenal,” Paxton said. “Regionals is by far, the toughest meet we compete in all season.”

Reflecting back over the whole North Central Regional Championship Swim Meet, Paxton felt deeply pleased with all of the athletes’ performances. “Our coaching team is extremely proud of how each athlete handled themselves at this meet!” she beamed.