IRVINE, Calif. – St. Francis High School sophomore Erica Jaffe and senior Ava Chavez, competing for the Sierra Marlins Swim Team, each earned second swims during the five-day Speedo Junior National Championships, which concluded at the William Woollett, Jr. Aquatics Center Friday night.
Jaffe enjoyed the highest finish between the two Troubie aquatics standouts, placing eighth in Wednesday's 200-meter backstroke with a time of two minutes, 16.43 seconds in the championship final. She went 2:14.89 in the prelims that morning.
Chavez advanced to the 200 freestyle consolation final on Thursday, thanks to a 2:03.47 that morning. The future California Golden Bear touched in 2:05.16 during the evening race, good for 15th place overall.
For the week, Jaffe also appeared in the 100 back and 200 individual medley, while Chavez competed in the 100 butterfly and three freestyle events. Both swimmers joined Sierra Marlins teammates Skyla Lang and Caitlin Wham in the two medley relays, plus Wham and Phoebe Yoder in the 200- and 800-yard free relays.
Chavez won both Delta League and Sac-Joaquin Section titles in the 200-yard freestyle last spring for St. Francis. She also placed third in two freestyle events at the state championships and claimed five total NISCA All-America awards. Jaffe, the Troubies' Most Valuable Swimmer, won two such All-America nods.
The Speedo Junior National Championships are run by USA Swimming and contested on a 50-meter long course. Chavez and Jaffe competed against the likes of Tide Swim Club's Kayla Wilson, who will begin her swim career at Stanford this fall; and Jo Jo Ramey, a USA Junior National Team member who committed to Florida last fall.
2022 SPEEDO JUNIOR NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS
William Woollett, Jr. Aquatics Center (Irvine, Calif.)
Only events with St. Francis students listed
WOMEN'S 200 MEDLEY RELAY - 1. Elmbrook SC (M. Wanezek, Thomas, Stoll, A. Wanezek), 1:51.41… 19. Sierra Marlins ST (Jaffe, Lang, Wham, Chavez), 1:58.28.
WOMEN'S 100 FREESTYLE - 1. Kayla Wilson, Tide SC, 55.09… 43. Ava Chavez, SMST, 57.53.
WOMEN'S 800 FREE RELAY - 1. Carmel SC (Shackell, Ward, Wilson, Sweeney), 8:14.23… 16. Sierra Marlins ST (Jaffe, Yoder, Chavez, Wham), 8:26.48.
WOMEN'S 100 BUTTERFLY - 1. Alex Shackell, Carmel SC, 58.33… 39. Ava Chavez, SMST, 1:02.43.
WOMEN'S 200 BACKSTROKE - 1. Jo Jo Ramey, Fishers Area Swimming Tigers, 2:09.80… 8. Erica Jaffe, SMST, 2:16.43 (2:14.89 prelim)
WOMEN'S 200 FREE RELAY - 1. Elmbrook SC (M. Wanezek, Thomas, Stoll, A. Wanezek), 1:42.87… 22. Sierra Marlins ST (Chavez, Wham, Jaffe, Yoder), 1:48.48.
WOMEN'S 200 FREESTYLE - 1. Kayla Wilson, Tide SC, 1:58.69… 15. Ava Chavez, SMST, 2:05.16 (2:03.47 prelim).
WOMEN'S 100 BACKSTROKE - 1. Maggie Wanezek, Elmbrook SC, 1:00.46… 34. Erica Jaffe, SMST, 1:03.90.
WOMEN'S 200 INDIVIDUAL MEDLEY - 1. Justina Kozan, 2:13.27… 74. Erica Jaffe, SMST, 2:23.96.
WOMEN'S 50 FREESTYLE - 1. Lily Christianson, Irish Aquatics, 25.43… 90. Ava Chavez, SMST, 27.02.
WOMEN'S 400 MEDLEY RELAY - 1. Elmbrook SC (M. Wanezek, Thomas, Stoll, A. Wanezek), 4:06.87… 18. Sierra Marlins ST (Jaffe, Lang, Wham, Chavez, 4:19.18)
