After launching herself in to the pool, Alex Brantome of the Brentwood Dolphins Swim Club powered through the water just in time to capture a first-place medal in the 50 breaststroke event at the recent Contra Costa Valley Swim Conference finals.

Brantome touched the wall first to win the 11-12 Girls A Division and qualify for the Contra Costa County meet with her season-best time of 37.61. Brantome also placed seventh in the freestyle with a time of 30.17.

“It’s really hard (to reach an exact county time),” Brantome said. “I just had to beat the girls to the wall.” That last push to hold off her competitors was enough to advance Brantome to the next round with several of her standout Brentwood teammates.

The Dolphins fielded 16 individual winners, took second place as a team in the B Division and fifth in the A Division. The most decorated Dolphins swimmer of the meet was 6-year-old Willie Trapanese, who took high-point honors with a maximum 27 points.

Trapanese beat the entire field by more than five seconds in the breaststroke, finishing just 0.88 seconds off the championship record with a time of 22.91. On Sunday, Trapanese came back with two more first-place finishes, winning the butterfly in 20.24 and the backstroke with a 21.85. During the season, Trapanese qualified for the County Section in all four events.

Kaila Dodson-Perez captured the 9-10 girls butterfly A Division championship with a season-best time of 33.21. She also placed third in the backstroke.

Tyler Lepolo won the 9-10 boys A backstroke, Cole Ziemann won the 13-14 backstroke A Division and Shelby Graifman won the 15-18 girls backstroke A Division.

Collin Marfia took high-point honors for 9-10 boys, garnering 22 points while winning the backstroke and individual medley. Alexander Cervantes won the 50 fly title in the 13-14 B Division.

Isabella Lucas was the 6U backstroke champion, Adel Worsham took the 7-8 backstroke title and Gianna Papani captured the 9-10 backstroke. Meanwhile, Gabriel Crowley won the 9-10 freestyle and Naji Othman brought home the 11-12 backstroke title.

Brantome’s older sister, Rebecca, was part of a dynamic duo that took second and third place in the 13-14 freestyle events. Kristen Black earned second in 27.52, Rebecca Brantome touching almost simultaneously at 27.67.

In the 15-18 boys division, Zayd Othman took a temporary break his role as Dolphins assistant coach to place fourth in the 100 freestyle.

– Contributed by Ken Silman