Publication Date: Friday, March 12, 2004
Prep swimmers off to fast early season times
Prep swimmers off to fast early season times
(March 12, 2004) Palo Alto boys, girls display their depth with big dual-meet wins
by Keith Peters
If the first week of the season is any indication, local swim teams should expect some sizzling times in 2004.
The Palo Alto boys and girls got off the blocks well, each registering a pair of victories in a rare tri-meet on Monday at Sacred Heart Prep.
The boys splashed past Sacred Heart Prep, 103-66, and were even better in toppling Menlo-Atherton, 143-43. The Viking girls dunked M-A, 115-54, and SHP, 121-49.
The Paly boys turned in the week's fastest time in the 200 medley relay, clocking 1:43.86. Senior Kalani Leifer set the tone for a fast season by winning the 100 fly in 54.45 and SHP's Bradley Thompson won the 500 free in a season best of 4:56.21.
The Paly girls got double wins from Monika Friedman (100 fly, 500 free in 5:10.13) and Phoebe Champion (50 free in 25.62, 100 breast), in addition to posting fast winning times in the 200 medley relay (1:55.56), 200 free relay (1:44.37) and 400 free relay (3:44.59).
The Menlo-Atherton girls were led by junior Kelly Eaton, who clocked a good early season time of 2:11.77 to win the 200 individual medley and 1:01.57 to win the 100 back. Both times, like many others in the meet, rank among the best in the Central Coast Section this year.
The Sacred Heart boys and girls opened their respective West Catholic Athletic League seasons on Wednesday, the boys posting a 110-73 victory while the girls dropped a 97-86 decision.
The Gators' Thompson grabbed the CCS lead in the 200 free with a sizzling 1:47.94 clocking. His personal record is 1:46.96 Teammate Brandon Child posted two impressive times while winning the 50 free in 22.41 and 100 free in 49.85. Freshman Kameron Flores-Maxfield broke the school record while winning the 200 IM in 2:01.75 and the Gators' 400 free relay team of Carter Brutschy, Ryan Kauffman, Flores-Maxfield and Thompson sped to a season best of 3:25.39.
The Gunn boys, meanwhile, posted a 109-47 win over host Saratoga in an SCVAL De Anza Division opener. The Titans' 200 free relay team of Siddharth Menon, Alan Neo, Nick Rouse and Matt Prior sped to the week's fastest time of 1:32.67 to spark the victory.
The Menlo boys dropped a 94-64 nonleague decision to host St. Francis, but Travis Reed won the 100 back in a fast 56.75. In the Menlo girls' 87-68 loss to the Lancers, the Knights' Maryann Hiller won the 100 breast in a CCS-leading and personal record of 1:07.29. That time would have placed Hiller sixth in the CCS finals last season.
The Menlo, Palo Alto and Menlo-Atherton girls will be busy Saturday at the annual St. Francis Relays while the boys from those schools will participate in the Serra Relays. Both meets begin at 9 a.m.
Track and field
Most of the area's top athletes will compete at the annual K-Bell Invitational on Saturday at Los Gatos High at 9 a.m.
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