By Cody Schott
The Mission League title evaded both the boysâ and girlsâ swimming teams this year as Loyola and Alemany beat them for first place. For boysâ Head Coach Dawn Barrett, a title was not the only measure of a successful season.
“The season has gone really well,” she said.
The loss to Loyola on April 21 was the first league loss of the season for the boysâ squad. The Cubs more than doubled the Wolverines score in a 125-61 meet.
Though the team finished 4-1 in league play (6-2 overall), it was not enough to surpass Loyola for first place in league.
“This season went really well,” James McNamara â10 said. “The fact that a swimming team with very few club swimmers is competitive in Division 1 speaks volumes. Losing to Loyola is always a bummer, but many personal records and CIF time standards were accomplished racing a very deep and fast Loyola team.”
In the loss, Loyola parents were angered when the Wolverines stood up to cheer on their teammates.
One of the parents even attempted to move one of the swimmers according to girlsâ Head Coach Darlene Bible. Bible also said that the matter was dealt with by Loyolaâs coach.
The girlsâ team sported a 3-2 league record (4-4) overall. Bible attributed the 1-2 non-league record to “tough competition preseason.”
Injuries have also hampered the squad, but star swimmer Allison Merz â10 “is getting faster every week,” Bible said. She thinks the team will be ready for league finals.
“We should be in full form by League finals and CIF,” she said.
Fatigue has also been a problem for the squad.
“The girls are lifting and swimming in the morning and swimming all five afternoons, so they are tired,” Bible said. “If you do not have a good base to taper from, you wonât do well in the taper. We always taper well.”