By Pete Borello
Prep Swimming Summary
Los Altos High swim coach Dan Dye didn’t pause even a second when asked what he expects from his boys and girls teams at this week’s Central Coast Section meet.
“My goal is to finish top 10 in both,” he said.
Considering the CCS is teeming with talented teams, it won’t be easy for the boys and girls to each earn top-10 status.
Yet Dye considers his goal “very realistic.” He is encouraged by the number of Los Altos swimmers and divers qualifying for the meet, which runs Friday and Saturday at the Santa Clara International Swim Center.
Los Altos is sending all its relay teams - the 200-meter medley, 200 freestyle and 400 free - and several individuals.
Boys qualifying for individual events include swimmers Chris Kelsch, Sam Rettig, Austin Lerch, Brian Whitlock, Howard Shin and Andrew Wiener, plus divers Doug Hansen, Jonathan Fishpaw and James Lanman.
Girls competing individually include swimmers Courtney Beyer, Tina Tkalcevic, Rita Lonhart and Meghan Sandlin, along with divers Tayler Cox, Jeanette Hayman and Jenni Strong. Three others - Anne Fish, Tricia Clark and Monica Merino - will swim on relays.
Mountain View High also will send several competitors to the CCS meet, especially on the girls’ side.
The Spartan girls May 3 won their first league title, defeating runner-up and host Saratoga by 120.5 points at the SCVAL El Camino Division championships. The Spartans were led by Brooke Bishop, Kelly Blakemore, Laurie Gregg, Jessica Howard-Anderson and Erica Lau.
Bishop won the 100-meter butterfly and 100 backstroke; Blakemore claimed the 50 free and took second in the 100 back; Gregg captured the 200 and 100 free events; Howard-Anderson finished second in the 500 free and third in the 100 back; Lau won the 500 free and finished second in the 200 free.
Blakemore, Nicole Bui, Bishop and Gregg teamed up to win the 200 medley relay, while Bishop, Howard-Anderson, Blakemore and Gregg won the 400 free relay. Sophomore Sonia Menchavez finished first in the 1-meter diving event.
Other girls moving on to CCS include Ginny Tice and Megan Wiklander.
The Mountain View boys, hurt by a bad start, took second to Saratoga at the league meet.
The Spartans seemed to win the first event, the 200 medley relay, but were later disqualified.
But Mountain View still went on to have plenty of highlights, coach Ben Murray said.
Mike Kasper dominated the 200 IM and 100 breaststroke, while Fred Tran did the same in the 100 fly and 100 back. These two swimmers, along with Chris Malatesta and Jesse Cirimele, anchored a 400 free relay team that pulled out a come-from-behind victory. Malatesta and Cirimele both went 3-4 in the 100 free and Cirimele finished third in the diving competition.
Other boys making CCS include Chris Prochnow, Tyler Landrith and Gabe Figueroa.
