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CV girls take league
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| Crescenta Valley High's Yumi So was part of four winning races on Wednesday as the Falcons defeated rival Arcadia, 86-84, to secure the Pacific League dual meet title. (Roger Wilson/News-Press) |
Swimming: So and team captains’ quick thinking leads Falcons girls to dramatic rivalry win.
By Grant Gordon
LA CRESCENTA — Disaster struck for the Crescenta Valley High girls’ swimming team in the 100-yard breaststroke.
But moments after the 400 freestyle relay, elation struck Falcons Coach Robert Miller.
“By two?” he asked the scorekeeper.
With an affirmative answer, Miller pumped his fist in the air and yelled with glee.
After archrival Arcadia had swept the top three spots in the breaststroke, the Falcons relay squads captured first and third in the day’s final event to secure an 86-84 Crescenta Valley win against Arcadia that gave them a Pacific League dual meet title.
“That breaststroke just about killed us,” said Miller, whose team fell behind, 80-76, entering the last event. “I knew [the 400 freestyle relay] was gonna be tight and I knew we were gonna be able to pick up the first, but I wasn’t sure about the third.”
Miller credited captains Keri Kunkel and Sandy Meidinger with the clutch performance as the trio planned out the final race with the captains urging Miller to change his lineup.
“If we had left it the way it was, I think we would’ve lost the meet,” Miller said.
Michelle Du, Christine Cho, Mackenzie Hobby and Yumi So swam to the win in the 400 free (3 minutes 47.42 seconds), but it was the third-place finish of Kunkel, Meidinger, Jayhee An and Megan York that sealed the meet victory.
Crescenta Valley’s boys weren’t as fortunate, as they fell to Arcadia, 89-81.
“The intensity is always there in the rivalry,” said Falcons Coach Jan Sakonju. “I think I made a few mistakes scheduling. The guys swam very well and Arcadia just swam better.”
Sharif Alaoui won the 200 individual medley (2:03.78), the 100 fly (56.23) and teamed with Jason Kim, Vinh Doan and Ted Gonder for a win in the 200 medley relay (1:41.17).
After Alaoui’s win in the 100 fly, the Falcons (5-1 in league) held a 41-37 lead, but Arcadia (6-0) won the remaining six events of the meet.
The CV girls (6-0) won eight of 11 events, but the depth of Arcadia (5-1) kept the Apaches in it.
“We’re just so evenly matched,” Miller said.
Leading the Falcons’ charge was So, who won the 100 butterfly (57.18), the 100 backstroke (59.85) and teamed with Michelle Du, Corinne Ingalla and Janelle Kim to win the 200 medley relay (1:58.48).
Ashley Kang had wins in the 200 free (2:08.17) and 500 free (5:39.97). Du won the 200 IM (2:20.04) and Cho, Meidinger, Kim and Kunkel won the 200 free relay (1:47.92).
GRANT GORDON is the sports editor. He can be reached at (818) 637-3225 or grant.gordon@latimes.com.
But moments after the 400 freestyle relay, elation struck Falcons Coach Robert Miller.
“By two?” he asked the scorekeeper.
With an affirmative answer, Miller pumped his fist in the air and yelled with glee.
After archrival Arcadia had swept the top three spots in the breaststroke, the Falcons relay squads captured first and third in the day’s final event to secure an 86-84 Crescenta Valley win against Arcadia that gave them a Pacific League dual meet title.
“That breaststroke just about killed us,” said Miller, whose team fell behind, 80-76, entering the last event. “I knew [the 400 freestyle relay] was gonna be tight and I knew we were gonna be able to pick up the first, but I wasn’t sure about the third.”
Miller credited captains Keri Kunkel and Sandy Meidinger with the clutch performance as the trio planned out the final race with the captains urging Miller to change his lineup.
“If we had left it the way it was, I think we would’ve lost the meet,” Miller said.
Michelle Du, Christine Cho, Mackenzie Hobby and Yumi So swam to the win in the 400 free (3 minutes 47.42 seconds), but it was the third-place finish of Kunkel, Meidinger, Jayhee An and Megan York that sealed the meet victory.
Crescenta Valley’s boys weren’t as fortunate, as they fell to Arcadia, 89-81.
“The intensity is always there in the rivalry,” said Falcons Coach Jan Sakonju. “I think I made a few mistakes scheduling. The guys swam very well and Arcadia just swam better.”
Sharif Alaoui won the 200 individual medley (2:03.78), the 100 fly (56.23) and teamed with Jason Kim, Vinh Doan and Ted Gonder for a win in the 200 medley relay (1:41.17).
After Alaoui’s win in the 100 fly, the Falcons (5-1 in league) held a 41-37 lead, but Arcadia (6-0) won the remaining six events of the meet.
The CV girls (6-0) won eight of 11 events, but the depth of Arcadia (5-1) kept the Apaches in it.
“We’re just so evenly matched,” Miller said.
Leading the Falcons’ charge was So, who won the 100 butterfly (57.18), the 100 backstroke (59.85) and teamed with Michelle Du, Corinne Ingalla and Janelle Kim to win the 200 medley relay (1:58.48).
Ashley Kang had wins in the 200 free (2:08.17) and 500 free (5:39.97). Du won the 200 IM (2:20.04) and Cho, Meidinger, Kim and Kunkel won the 200 free relay (1:47.92).
GRANT GORDON is the sports editor. He can be reached at (818) 637-3225 or grant.gordon@latimes.com.
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| Crescenta Valley survives scare | Crescenta Valley can’t catch Arcadia |
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