Tologs make quick work of Mayfield

NORTHWEST GLENDALE — For the Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy and Mayfield School swimming teams, the goals are the same at this early point in the season — work on dropping time and get ready for the start of their respective league seasons.

When the two teams put those goals into practice head to head, however, there was very little ground to be shared, as the Tologs dominated Tuesday’s nonleague meet at Sacred Heart, 107-55.

“We’re off to a good start,” said Tologs Coach Steve Bergen, whose squad won all but one event on the day to improve to 2-0 on the season. “Today, it was cold weather and everything, but despite the conditions, I think the kids swam really well. We looked pretty good, especially at this point of the season.”

Junior Meg Ryan and freshman Kirsten Vose had big days for Sacred Heart, doubling in their individual events, while also swimming on two winning relays. Ryan took first in the 100-yard freestyle in 57.44 seconds and the 100 backstroke in 1:03.94, while Vose won the 200-individual medley in 2:12.31 and 100 breaststroke in 1:08.50.

Junior Emily Balog and senior Eva Dulcich joined Ryan and Vose to win the 200-medley relay in 1:55.12 before the latter two combined with Haley Shewfelt and Hannah Walleck to win the 400-freestyle relay in 3:54.48.

“It’s been cold at the last two meets, so it’s been great that the Tologs have been able to step up and give it their best shot,” said Ryan, whose team opened the season with a win over the Cubs’ Prep League foe, Westridge. “We all aim to win [the Mission] league this year. We have a very strong team of incoming freshmen, so we’re very confident we can win league.”

Mayfield’s lone win on the day came from junior Laura Reilly, who captured first in the 100 butterfly in 1:04.02.

“It’s always a competitive meet, it’s very good for our girls to come and swim against competition that’s a lot stronger than us because it gives us that opportunity [to improve],” Mayfield Coach Lynda Gilbert said. “They need to see what they can do and what the competition is like out there.”

Other wins for Sacred Heart came courtesy of Walleck in the 200 freestyle (2:12.05), Dulcich in the 50 freestyle (26.37), freshman Katie Altman in the 500 freestyle and the quartet of Dulcich, Balog, senior Monica Pernicky and Claire Mudie in the 200-freestyle relay (1:48.46).