Swimming: Amador Edges Foothill in Girls Varsity Meet

As submitted by Amador Valley swimming representatives

After falling behind by one point to Foothill in the next-to-last event, the Amador Valley High swimming and diving team needed to get a victory in the 400 free relay to win the meet. Catherine Breed, swimming anchor for the Dons, went into the water with a deficit to make up and as she turned for the final 25 yards, it was clear that it was going down to the wire. At the wall, Breed out touched Nikki Doi by .23 seconds to give Amador a 93.5-92.5 victory.

Emma Rigl, Haley Brott and Marina Mihov, Amador's "diving divas", gave the Dons a 10 point lead entering the swim portion of the meet by sweeping the Falcons.

The Dons expanded on that lead in the early going gaining eight points in the 200 free, behind a 1-2 finish by Breed and Kirsten Brand, and two more in the IM with a 2-3-4 finish by Tory Houston, Natalie Wong and Chelsea Finn. After four swimming events and the diving event, the Dons led by eighteen, 40-22.

Despite Emma McGuness' second place finish in the 50 free Foothill narrowed the score to 45-33 and gained a pair of points in the fly, Natalie Wong's first place finish notwithstanding.

Brand won the 100 free and the Dons gained a point back to lead 60.5 to 49.5. A seemingly insignificant tie between the Dons Danielle Sticker and Cassie Stuart for fifth place in this event would end up being the margin of difference in the meet.

With Breed winning the 500 free, but Foothill still gaining two points, and the Falcons gaining six points in the 200 free relay the Dons continued to lead, 73.5-66.5, with three events remaining.

Stickler and Elle Surber went 2-3 in the backstroke, but the Falcons closed two more points, 80.5-75.5. Then, in the breaststroke, the Falcons finally closed the gap gaining six points and taking an 86.5 to 85.5 lead. Finn grabbed second for Amador who only had two swimmers swim the event.

The one point margin meant whoever won the 400 free relay would win the meet and Breed, Wong, Houston, and Brand made sure that the Dons would go home with the victory.

JUNIOR VARSITY

After a lead change in the previous four events, it came down to the 400 Free relay. Amador Valley holding an 89-83 lead over cross-town rival Foothill. The Dons needed to get at least a second place finish to finish no worse than a tie, but they fell short by less than two seconds and fell to the Falcons 95-91.

Amador started off the swim meet with 10 point lead gained via a 1-2-3 finish by their divers, Gabby Schultz, Anna Wishnowsky, and Julia Rosenberg. They were able to hold the lead through the early going before falling behind after the 500 free. Early scorers for the Dons were Nicole Martin who finished second in the 200 free, Lissi Knell and Lindsey DeWilde who garnered a first and a third in the IM by, Elaina Gates, a second place finish by in the 50 free, and another first place finish by Knell.

Despite Kristine Walder's third in the 100 free, the Falcons closed to two points, 56-54. The Falcons then took their first lead of the meet gaining six points in the 500 free although Laura Taylor came in third for the Dons. However, the Dons answered with a six point gain of their own in the 200 free relay with DeWilde, Knell, Gates and Sophie Lair getting to the wall first. The Dons were back ahead 71-69.

Foothill owned the backstroke, gaining six points with Nicole Martin the highest Amador finisher in third place.

Once again, Amador answered by sweeping the breaststroke behind Elaina Gates, Erica Efigenio and Nicole Guzolek. The six point lead would not be enough, however, as the Falcons answered with a 1-2 finish in the 400 free relay to take the meet.

——————————————————————————————

To submit results for a freshman, junior varsity or varsity high school team, contact Regional Sports Editor Kyle Bonagura at kbonagura@gmail.com.