Swimming for a state title
Chris Malone
Issue date: 5/9/05 Section: Sports
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The men's team is looking to win the state championships held at Diablo Valley College in Pleasant Hills.
The team won every event at the Western State Conference Championships held April 28-30 at Cuesta College.
Led by WSC swimmer of the year Cheyne O'Gorman, the men are in a three-way battle with Golden West (which VC beat during the Mt. SAC Invitational) and Diablo Valley colleges for the state title. Along with O'Gorman, the men have two other returning state champions with Jesse Marin and Nate Isbell.
The best reason why VC can win the state championship is because of the greatest first-year class Head Coach Larry Baratte said he's ever had, with J.P Oliver, Jeremy Sotomayor, Justin Burdine and Brett Todd.
The team's accomplishments don't end in the pool; they also excel in the classroom as well. Last year's team was the Commission on Athletics Scholar Team Recipient. They expect to do the same this season.
The women's team has also achieved a lot this year.
First-year student Christine Zimmer's season started out with promise, but mononeucleosis and tonsilitis put her season in doubt. She bounced back by winning the grueling 1650-meter freestyle and is now challenging for the state title in the same event. If mononucleosis can't slow her down, what will?
The team has three returning state finalists in Katherine Azar, Emily Goodall and Kelsey Peterson.
The team also has depth with their first-year students.
Zimmer, Lauren Bushey, Christa Ratcliff, Kari Lyman and Katie Buckley have been welcome additions to the team.
Both of the teams are full of savages, hungry for quick times and medals. They're like wind-up toys, just wind them up and let them go.
Coach Baratte made a bet that if any of his teams won the state championship, he would shave his head. Hopefully, the team won't remove his scalp along with his brown locks.