By Zack Goldman
After rattling off victories in their four head-to-head meets since a season-opening loss to Saugus, the girlsâ swimming team fell prey to a home loss at the hands of Flintridge Sacred Heart, 100-70 last Thursday.
As it was a battle of the two top squads in the Mission League, the loss took the Wolverines out of first place in the race for the regular season title.
Despite the setback, the team remains able to view its season as a positive.
âThe girls have performed quite well this season so far,â coach Darlene Bible said. âThey have been working hard, are not tapered yet and are still doing best times in many cases.Â
We are a young team and the future looks very, very bright.â
The boysâ team endured a similar setback at the same meet as the girls in the form of a 22-point loss to Loyola. Despite a victory by Andy Kim â07 in the 100-meter backstroke and a win by David Chanin â08 in the 200-meter Individual Medley, the Wolverines still could not overtake their rivals.
âI think weâve done really well this season,â Chanin said. âIt was upsetting losing to Loyola, but they have a good team, and weâve won the last two years.â
After league finals, the focus for many members of both teams team will shift to personal accolades. The girlsâ team has many CIF participants already, including Allison Merz â10, Cathryn Quinn â08 and Alex Edel â10, Bible said.
Maddy Sprung-Keyser â09 is six-tenths of a second off the automatic qualification time for the 100-meter backstroke but will remain in serious contention for a shot at CIF, as she holds a consideration time.
As the teams have moved down a division this past season, they should have an increase in CIF participation, Chanin said.
âWe are now back in Division II with more schools of our own size, so CIF will be the exciting part of our season,â Bible said.
Bible offers advice to her teamâs future opponents: âEven when we are the underdog, watch out because you never know what these kids might do to beat the opposition.â
Bible notes that her team has remained strong in the face of great fatigue, swimming nearly every meet under 100 percent.
âRemember that these girls are swimming tired at each and every meet, so when they are rested they will get faster,â she said.
Both teams face Alemany tomorrow in their regular season finale at home.