Records Fall, WaterPandas Rise
Pershing WaterPandas
Highlights – Jingle Bell Invitational
Lamar Natatorium • December 13, 2025
Official Meet HighlightsCoach’s Note: The Jingle Bell Invitational brought big-team energy, fast racing, and a huge confidence boost. Our WaterPandas stepped up under pressure, supported each other on deck, and walked away with multiple “season bests” and record-breaking swims. 🐼💦
🏊♂️ Team Performance & Top Scorers
Team Performance Summary
The WaterPandas delivered a strong and well-balanced performance at the 2025 Jingle Bell Invitational, with solid finishes across grade levels and standout contributions that kept Pershing competitive throughout the meet.
Our biggest strength showed in the 8th-grade divisions, where Pershing athletes consistently scored and stayed in the mix all day.
⭐ Top WaterPandas Point Earners
These athletes led the scoring for Pershing and delivered key points across multiple events.
- Zoë Cheng (8th) — 13 points
- Makenzie Walsh (8th) — 13 points
- Maddy Melville (8th) — 12 points
- Jiaqi Zhu (7th) — 6 points
- Daniel Gu (8th) — 18 points (Top scorer for Pershing)
- Reid Ashlin (7th) — 12 points
- Dean Wells (8th) — 12 points
- Noah Lazard (8th) — 9 points
- Theodore Randall (7th) — 8 points
- Ramzy Abdallah (7th) — 6 points
That combination of top-end scoring plus depth across grades is exactly what wins team battles at big invitationals.
WaterPandas Takeaway: The Jingle Bell Invitational showcased the depth and upward momentum of the program. With strong leadership from our 8th graders and valuable scoring from 7th graders, Pershing keeps building confidence heading into championship season.
🚨 Invitational Records Broken
Daniel Gu – 8th Grade
Record-breaker • WaterPandas
Two meet records in one invitational is rare at any level. Daniel delivered when it mattered most.
What This Means
- Confidence: we can race with anyone when we execute.
- Momentum: the team is trending up right before championship season.
- Culture: loud support, fast swims, and “next-up” focus all day.
The Jingle Bell meet wasn’t just fast — it was a statement.
📌 New WaterPandas Season Records Set Today
Based on our current 2025–2026 season record book, these new “top times” were established on December 13, 2025:
These times become the new targets for the rest of the season — and a sign that our training is paying off.
👀 District Record Watch (District II)
Maddy Melville
8th Grade Girls • 50 Butterfly
If she reproduces that swim at District Champs, the record board changes.
Daniel Gu
8th Grade Boys • 50 Freestyle
In sprint freestyle, 0.43 is absolutely chaseable with clean starts, fast turns, and confidence.
Don’t forget: Daniel Gu already owns the District II 7th Grade Boys 100 IM record with a time of 1:00.19. Now, as an 8th grader, he’s one of the swimmers to watch in the IM events again this season.
Proud of every WaterPanda who raced today — whether it was a personal best, a first-time swim, or a record-breaking moment. Next up: more meets, more drops, and more chances to chase history.
Veni. Natavi. Vici. – We came. We swam. We conquered. 🐼
