Fast pool boosts Falcons to sweep of Bulldogs
BURBANK — The pool at Burbank High is a favorite of the Crescenta Valley High boys’ and girls’ swimming teams and it showed on Wednesday in the Falcons’ Pacific League dual-meet sweep of the Bulldogs.
“The athletes are really excited to be coming to Burbank, it’s a great venue, a great place to swim,” said Crescenta Valley boys’ Coach Jan Sakonju, whose team won handily, 118-52. “It’s a fast pool and for the remainder of the season, we don’t really have any fast pools until we come back here for league prelims.
“I think everything was perfect today. The weather conditions were perfect, the pool conditions were perfect and it was good competition.”
The Falcons girls’ team turned in a dominant victory, as well, 120-50, as both squads improved to 2-0 in league dual meets.
“There were some times that went up but, by and large, we’re still either right around [a personal best] or bettering it,” Falcons girls’ Coach Robert Miller said. “I’m really proud of what we had today.”
The boys were led by double winner Sharif Alaoui, who took first in the 100-yard freestyle in 1 minute 47.08 seconds and the 100 butterfly in 54.65.
Alaoui also swam backstroke on the winning 200-medley relay team (1:47.53) along with Tristan Winterhalter (freestyle), Eric Jang (breaststroke) and Josh Chi (butterfly) and anchored the winning 200-freestyle relay team (1:31.20) that included Winterhalter, Chris Veselich and Andrew DeJong.
Winterhalter turned in a CIF-automatic qualifying mark of 22.36 in the 50 freestyle and DeJong won the 200-individual medley in 2:01.89.
Reigning All-Area Girls’ Swimmer of the Year Yumi So led the Falcons girls with wins in the 100 butterfly (56.98) and 100 breaststroke (1:09.80).
So teamed with Corinne Ingalla, Janelle Kim and Krystle Ouh for a win in the 200-medley relay in 2:02.54 and with Kim, Ouh and MacKenzie Hobby to win the 400-freestyle relay in 3:58.57.
Shelby Gregg won the 200 freestyle in 2:22.52 and Adrienne Ingalla won the 50 freestyle in 27.20.