Deep, talented Giants swimming/diving team set for first home meet Feb. 28
By Nick Giannandrea
College of the Sequoias' swimming and diving program produced three state qualifiers last season.
Giants coach Ally Briano said that number could increase up to five fold in 2025 while extending a three-year streak of individual state championship performances.
With a women's team led by returning state qualifier Bella Klawitter (Hanford West High), and a men's team headed up by Cal State Bakersfield-committed diver Jackson Coon (Redwood), Briano said Sequoias has a strong chance to send as many as 15 competitors to the state championship meet.
The Giants will compete locally for the first time this season when they host the COS Invite at 10 a.m. Feb. 28.
And Coon, a freshman, is viewed as a diver capable of following in the footsteps of Easton Farmer (Golden West), who won the state title on the 1-meter board (243.25) and placed second on the 3-meter board (220.25) as a sophomore for Sequoias last season.
The Giants' streak of state champions also includes Joshy Peters (Redwood) winning the men's 100 free in 2023, and Jillian Lambert (Golden West) winning the women's 50 free in 2022.
"We have high hopes Jackson can win a state championship this year, too," Briano said.
Coons as well as sophomores Guy Woodard (Golden West) and Liam Henshaw (Golden West), and freshman Ethan Soliman make up one of the most talented group of male divers in the state under the direction of assistant coaches Deidre Alves and Jenny Zeeb.
"They are amazing," Briano said. "I crediet them for a lot of the accomplishments of your diving team. We've become a diving magnant."
The mens' team is captained by Jack LoBue (Monache-Porterville) and Vinnie Sanchez (Golden West).
Both are considered contenters to qualify for state: LoBue as a freestyle sprinter and Sanchez as a backstroker of all distances. Both are members of the Giants' A relay teams.
Sequoias has a pair of breaststrokers with the potential to qualify for state in sophomores Dylan Hunt (Central California Connections Academy-Hanford) and Josh Mitchell (Redwood).
Among the Giants' male freshmen, Briano said Brendan Meyer (Lemoore), Chandler Bruton (Mt. Whitney) and Connor Rohman (Mt. Whitney) have the best shot at posting state qualifying times. Meyer is the team's top freestyle sprinter, Bruton is a breastroker and Rohman is a middle distance freestyler.
Sequoias also features sophomores in distance freestyler Aiden Ahlmeyer (Golden West), butterflier Isaac Maillard (Mt. Whitney) and backstroker Jared Ojeda (Monache); and freshmen in backstroker Noah Fridland (Summit Charter-Porterville), sprint freestyler Taylor Green (Exeter), butterflier and freestyler Daniel Landucci (Porterville), butterflier Quoinn Rea (Mt. Whitney), butterflier Trent Regier (Kingsburg) and freestyler Landis Sanchez (Mission Oak-Tulare).
"Our men's team has a few standouts who could win state championships," Briano said. "But what is most impressive is the size and depth of our team. We're three deep in every one of the unique strokes. We're going to look to scoop up a lot of points at conference with this depth."
For the women, Klawitter, who swims all distances of the butterfly and the 400 individual medley, will look to better her performance at state last season, when she was 15th in the 200 fly in 2:28.44.
The women's team's two other sophomore leaders are Azulema Ayon (Exeter) and Kallysta Cox (Strathmore). Ayon is a sprint freestyler and butterflier, while Cox is a breaststroker.
Sequoias' sophomore class also includes sprint freestyler Mikenna Curtis (Dinuba), four-stroke sprinter Autumn Gibson (Lemoore), short distance freestyler Gracie Rivas (El Diamante) and Yazmyn Sanchez (Harmony-Strathmore), who swims everything except breaststroke.
The Giants' freshman class is highlighted by Kenzie Hyder (Porterville), who Briano said could push for a state top-eight finish in the 100, 200 or 500 freestyle events.
Savannah Gates (Hartland Charter-Lindsay) is viewed as a potential state qualifier in the 100 breast and 100 free, while diver Reannon Herrera (Porterville) got here career off to a blazing start by setting school records in the 1-meter (201.45) and 3-meter (197.35) boards during Sequoias' season-opening competition the last weekend in January in Clovis. Men's divers Hinshaw (3-meter) and Coon (1-meter) also won events at the same meet.
Other freshmen contributors include breaststroker Makaira Chavez (Selma), who also plays on the Giants women's soccer team; backstroker Sierra Hodson (Tulare Western); sprint freestyler and diver Lauren Pelayo (El Diamante), freestyler Myranda Rodriguez (Mt. Whitney), and utility swimmer Eliana Salazar (Tulare Western).
Sequoias will be out to win the conference title after Fresno City snapped the Giants four-year championship streak in 2024. The Central Valley Championship meet is set for April 17-20 at Clovis College.
"This is the largest women's team we've had in about five years," Briano said. "So we're really looking to take back the conference. We're on a mission to take it back."
The California Community College Athletic Association state championship meet is scheduled for May 1-3 at Santa Rosa Junior College.