Dual titles cap historic day for Flintridge Prep swimming
PASADENA — In terms of accomplishments, the Flintridge Prep swimming program turned in one of its greatest days at Saturday afternoon’s Prep League swimming championships at Pasadena Poly.
For the first time in 15 years, the Rebels girls won a Prep League team championship, joining a Flintridge Prep boys’ squad that clinched its sixth straight title, while producing what is believed to be the first time the school has ever won both championships in the same year in history.
The Flintridge Prep girls held off archrival and defending champion Pasadena Poly, 315-311, in a race that went down to the final event, while Webb (230), Mayfield Senior (206), Westridge (106) and Chadwick (nine) followed.
The Flintridge Prep boys ran away to another league crown with 399 points, well ahead of Poly (261), Webb (255) and Chadwick (136).
Rebels junior Winston Chen was also named the Prep League co-Most Valuable Swimmer along with Pasadena Poly’s Pranay Singh. Webb’s Rylie Brick and Poly’s Susan Laster are the girls’ co-most valuable swimmers.
At the center of the historic accomplishment was Rebels coach Ingrid Herskind.
“For the girls, we talked about the idea of scoring the meet out,” Herskind said. “Every point was going to count and that we had an opportunity to do something. I didn’t want to put pressure on the team, but I wanted them to think about this as an opportunity.”
Flintridge Prep entered with steep odds as the Rebels fell to the Panthers, 99-76, in the team’s regular season meeting April 10. The Rebels were also down 41 points entering Friday as the Panthers took the top three diving spots.
Add that Flintridge Prep didn’t win one actual championship race and the outcome was somewhat remarkable.
“I mean this is kind of incredible and we’re both juniors,” Flintridge Prep’s Emily Alameddine said as she pointed to teammate Emily Jacobs. “Our freshman year, we had eight girls on the team and finished in fifth place. We had talked about winning league our senior year and the fact this happened early, we’re all shocked.”
Though Poly won six of 11 events, the Rebels still outscored the Panthers in six competitions, while turning in huge point differentials in a few races.
The most noticeable gap was in the 500-yard freestyle race won by Webb’s Lindsay Jung in 5 minutes, 42.03 seconds.
Flintridge Prep’s Lucy Friedman took second in 5:35.88 and the Rebels also took third, fourth and sixth place for 45 points, while Poly only nabbed 10 points.
The Rebels took the lead for good, 289-279, on the 100-yard breaststroke, the second-to-last event and then held on in the finale.
Even as Poly won the 400 freestyle relay in 3:51.17, which was good for 32 points, the Rebels placed second in 3:55.47, for 26 points, to hold on for a six-point win.
“This means so much to see us all come together,” Jacobs said. “To build over the years and to be here for this win, it’s unbelievable.”
As for the boys, they won six events with Chen taking part in four victories.
The junior captured the 200 freestyle (1:45.98) and 100 backstroke (52.41) in CIF Southern Section Division III automatic times and joined Brett Bell, Matt Ng and Oliver Brookbanks for a victory in the 200-yard medley relay in 1:43.47, also an automatic time.
In his finale, Chen teamed with Bell and Oliver and Ben Brookbanks for a triumph in the 400 freestyle in 3:19.52 in an automatic mark.
“I’m proud of my team,” Chen said. “We showed that we’re doing well and we’re consistent and obviously we want to win. This means a lot.”
Sibling rivalries also played out for the Brookbanks as Oliver won the 50-yard backstroke in a consideration mark of 22.72, which topped second-place Ben (23.92).
Ben returned the favor in the freestyle, winning in a consideration mark of 50.35, which edged Oliver’s runner-up consideration time of 50.63.
