PREP SWIMMING ROUNDUP : Los Alamitos, O’Kelley Sweep Past El Dorado

It’s only a baby step, but at least it’s a start.

Last year, the El Dorado girls’ swim team upset Los Alamitos, a nine-time defending Empire League champion, by more than 100 points at the league championship, after Los Alamitos had won their dual meet earlier in the season by 30 points.

It was a loss everyone who experienced it remembers vividly, if not a little painfully.

“It was sad. I was a bit disappointed. But I knew the team wasn’t as strong as in the past,” said senior co-captain Michelle Herron, Los Alamitos’ only four-year varsity swimmer.

Los Alamitos reclaimed a small part of what it lost last season as the Griffins socked it to El Dorado, 113-57, in a dual meet Wednesday at Los Alamitos.

The Griffins swept all three relays, won all but two individual races and Penny O’Kelley won the 200 individual medley and 100 breaststroke. She also was on two winning relays.

Teammates Tatum Schubert won the 100 freestyle, Adrienne Paradeise won the 100 butterfly and both were on two winning relays.

For El Dorado, Nancy Jo was the lone two-event winner, with victories in the 200 freestyle and 100 backstroke.

El Dorado was without the services of Kella Hoblick, who is in Tennessee, where she will compete in Senior Nationals.

As convincing as Los Alamitos’ victory was, could Hoblick have made the difference for El Dorado?

“I don’t know,” Los Alamitos Coach Debbie Fleming said. “She makes four (events) stronger for them.”

As nice as Wednesday’s showing was, Los Alamitos knows all that matters is the league championship next month.

In the meantime, this one sure felt good.

“It lifted our egos,” said senior co-captain Jenna Stoskopf, winner of the 500 freestyle.