Los Gatos Weekly-Times

Record-setters lead Gatos to Valley Aquatics crown

By Dick Sparrer

Most 6-year-olds are just taking lessons to learn how to swim, but not Matthew Murray.

It seems that young Matthew could be giving those lessons.

Murray has turned out to be quite the swimmer for the Los Gatos Aquatics Swim Team that competes out of the Los Gatos Swim & Racquet Club. Good enough, in fact, that he set team and league records while helping LG Aquatics to the league championship.

Murray was one of four Los Gatos record-setters in the league championship meet, joining Kellin Dunne, Jacqui Duzac and Danny Wall to lead the local squad to the title at the Valley Aquatics League championship meet held July 25 at San Jose State University.

There were more than 525 swimmers, ages 5-18, representing the leagues five teams at the finals, and Los Gatos Aquatics topped the field, beating out Los Ranchitos, Encore, Westgate and Palo Rancho to take home the championship trophy.

Los Gatos was undefeated during the regular season that runs from April through the championship meet in late July.

"It was a great, great season," said Ron Denevi, the owner of the Los Gatos Swim & Racquet Club. "We were undefeated in all four dual meets, but what a sweet victory to also prevail at the championships."

Gatos head coach Jason Miller was also impressive with the effort of the LG Aquatics swimmers. "I am very proud of all the hard work put in by the kids," he said. "And I'm particularly appreciative of the great effort by all of our coaches, some of whom are former Los Gatos Aquatics Team members themselves."

Miller is assisted by Kate Swanson, Matt Pinschmidt, Peter Bertzgoff and Mike Burwahl of the Los Gatos Aquatics coaching staff.

But the true stars were the swimmers, who posted record-setting performances to lead Los Gatos to the team championship.

Murray raced to a new team and league record on his way to victory in the 25-yard breaststroke in the boys' 5-6 age group. Murray also teammed with Jack Penner, Eric Reichwein and Hendee Wall to win the free relay in a new league-record time.

Murray chipped in with a new team record in the 25 freestyle in the meet.

Wall raced to a win in the 25 breast in the 7-8 age group in a new team- and league-record time.

Duzac broke a pair of team records in the girls' 9-10 age group. She snapped team marks in the 100 individual medley and the 25 butterfly.

Dunne joined Duzac as a team record-setter, crushing the old standard in the 50 backstroke in the girls' 11-12 age group.

Los Gatos Swim & Racquet Club is located on Oka Road off Lark Avenue in Los Gatos.

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