Santa Margarita’s dominant girls’ swimming team continued its path toward another CIF-Southern Section Division 1 title after an outstanding performance in the pool May 9 at the Riverside Aquatics Center.
Led by sophomores Ella Ristic and Annika Delgado, Santa Margarita qualified swimmers for the May 12 championship and consolation finals in nearly every event, while all three relay teams qualified first, well ahead of the competition in each race.
Earlier in the week, the Eagles had recorded points in the diving competition, as Alexandra Barnes and Londen Christensen finishing sixth and seventh (both qualifying for the state finals May 19).
Loyola’s and Damien’s boys’ teams, both runners-up by narrow margins in 2017, also remained on course for possible championships in Divisions 1 and 2, respectively, following results in the preliminary rounds of competition. Division 1 and 2 finals were scheduled for May 12; the D-1 boys’ prelims also featured strong performances from Crespi, Santa Margarita, Mater Dei and Notre Dame/Sherman Oaks.
La Salle, led by senior James Torrez, was among the Division 4 teams doing well in boys’ events, while La Salle and Bishop Amat swimmers excelled in the girls’ events. Division 4 finals were scheduled in the evening of May 11.
In Division 3 competition (completed May 10), Mayfield placed 17th (69 points), with Immaculate Heart 25th (35), Louisville and Marymount tied for 35th (17 apiece), and La Reina 42nd (10). Mayfield was led by senior Kat Lopez, seventh in the 100 Breaststroke and eighth in the 200 individual medley, and Immaculate Heart senior Brighida Rosendahl was second in diving, qualifying for the state finals.
