On March 21, the Aragon swim team (1-3 overall) faced off against Woodside in a highly anticipated meet. The Dons secured significant victories across multiple teams and events.
Their efforts to win paid off as they showcased strong performances across all groups. The boys varsity team secured a decisive 102-64 victory, while the boys junior varsity followed with a 96-73 win. The girls varsity carved out a 93-82 victory over Woodside, and the girls junior varsity put up a strong effort but fell short with a final score of 113-72.
Junior Yury Bychkov, who swam the 200 medley relay, free, 100 backstroke and 400 free relay, reflected on his performance as well as some obstacles on the pool deck.
“I think [my performance] was pretty good,” Bychkov said. “[I] definitely got some better times than before. Turns are a big portion, and the pole is a bit different … so just adapting to that and making sure that, especially during the sprints, my breakout is fast.”
There were a few critical events during the meet, with close finishes keeping the excitement high.
“The key moments were the relays,” Bychkov said. “Because it’s a team, you get to support each other and hear more support from others.”
Junior Lillian Anagnoson swam the 200 medley free, 100 free, 200 free relay and 400 free relay, and highlighted the unique atmosphere of high school meets compared to club competitions.
“High school meets are just a lot of fun,” Anagnoson said. “Compared to club meets, they’re a lot more lighthearted. In both places, my teammates and family motivate me the most. My brother was a swimmer — he swims in college now — so he definitely motivates me a lot.”
Anagnoson also highlighted a major achievement for the team during the meet.
“We definitely got our [Central Coast Section] cut in the 200 medley relay, which was a lot of fun,” Anagnoson said.
This was an important milestone for the team, as underlined by sophomore Lincoln Elliott, who played a role in the 200 victory along with participating in the 500 free, 200 free relay and 400 free relay.
“It’s something we’ve been working on all season,” Elliott said. “When we finally hit that mark, it felt like our hard work was paying off.”
Behind the scenes of these impressive results, balancing academics and athletics remains a challenge.
“Creating a calendar, setting aside time for homework and studying for tasks is very important,” Bychkov said. “Essentially making sure that I do what I need to do for swimming, but also … that I’m staying on top of my tasks.”
Anagnoson echoed similar sentiments about balancing school with swimming.
“It’s definitely hard, there’s a lot of staying up late to do homework,” Anagnoson said. “But mostly, just staying on top of my stuff, doing as much as I can over the weekends, and not getting distracted with my phone.”
Looking ahead, the team will continue working on their skills and fitness, both mental and physical to prepare for future meets.
“It’s important that they make sure they come to practice on time and work hard … commit and be in the moment when they swim,” said Head Coach Bill Barthold.
With a strong performance against Woodside, the team is setting a solid foundation for the rest of the season. The team will host Mills in its next meet on April 18 at 3:30 p.m.
