The 68-member Marlins Swim Team placed sixth at the 2012 Merced County Recreational Swim League Championship meet July 21 and 22 at Kerman High School.

The Marlins were edged out of fifth place by just six points by the 92-member Atwater Stingray team. The Hilmar Hammerheads won the meet.

"Unfortunately unexpected illnesses and family emergencies kept some of our key swimmers from participating in the meet and that impacted the overall strength of our relays," said head coach Tammy Kudela. "Despite the set-back to some of our relay teams our swimmers did an amazing job in their individual swims."

Kudela said every one of the Marlins swimmers improved their time in one or more of their events at the meet and for the first time in their 22-year history, the Marlins had two of their swimmers earn the coveted High Point award at the meet.

Eleanor Cummings captured it for the 17-18 year-old division and Phillip Kudela brought it home for the 13-14 year-old division.

Cummings placed fourth in the 50-yard freestyle with a time of 27.37. She placed second in the 100 freestyle setting a new team record with a time of 59.38. Setting two more team records with two first place finishes, she came in with a time of 1:08.75 in the 100 individual medley and 1:04.70 in the 100 butterfly.

Kudela won all four of his races and set a new team record in each of those events.

He posted a 25.08 for the 50-yard freestyle, a 55.73 for the 100 freestyle, a 1:05.30 for the 100 individual medley and a 1:14.78 for the 100 breaststroke.

Record breaking efforts continued at this meet by several additional Marlin swimmers.

Trinity Zelazo, 10, broke a 2007 record in the 100 freestyle previously held by Triana Garrett, who was the first Marlins Championship High Point winner as a 14-year-old last season. Zelazo's record now stands at 1:17.44.

Parker Jones, 10, also surpassed one of Garrett's records in the 100 IM. She earned the bronze medal spot in the final round coming to the wall with a time of 1:30.59.

Triana Garrett 15, still stands as a leader in the league, placing second in each event to 16-year-old competitors. She broke Cumming's 2010 record in the100 freestyle, holding the new record with a time of 59.38.

Recent Yosemite High School graduate Karley LeQuia, 18, placed first in the 100 yard backstroke at this meet, securing a Marlin's team record of 1:09.77.

Kylie Johnson, 17, finishing in fifth place in the final heat broke a 2005 record in the 100 yard breaststroke previously held by Nalani Ludington. The new record now stands at 1:26.26.

Chad Coffman and Russell Zelazo, both 12, also set new team records. Coffman finaled in all four of his events and established a new record with each effort. He placed first in the 50 backstroke in 34.84 seconds and first in the 100 freestyle with a time 1:05.80. He finished second in the 50 freestyle and 50 breaststroke with new record times of 28.52 and 38.01 respectively.

Zelazo also made it to the final round in all four of his events, but his tremendous effort in the 50 butterfly prelims allowed him to set the new team record at 36.49.

In addition to setting numerous team records, the Marlins had 27 of its 68 swimmers earn a top 10 swim in one or more of their events.

"This is the greatest number of swimmers to achieve that level of swimming in a championship meet," Tammy Kudela said.

Those swimmers, not already mentioned, were Reilly Brandauer, 6, Geep Cummings, 10, Van Cummings, 14, Brooke DiFiore, 15, Daniel Gilger, 12, Carissa Leonard, 17, Ryan Leonard, 11, Cora Lowery, 8, Jacob Montgomery, 13, Audrey Ogilvie, 11, Felina Ogilvie, 7, Connor Oliphant, 5, Walker Phillips, 14, Kendra Tapia, 12, Nicole Tapia, 15, Bernhard Wall, 14, Daria Wood, 11, and Caleb Zelazo, 6.

In addition to the Marlins, Atwater and Hilmar, other teams in the championship meet were the Los Banos Tiger Sharks, Kerman Kickers, Dos Palos Dolphins, Livingston Waves, Firebaugh Area Swim Team and the Chowchilla Redfins.