Paly Y showed strength placing second in the annual Westchester swim meet held last weekend at Loyola Marymount. Paly continue to dog San Pedro Y, which wins almost all of the Southern California Y meets simply because of its team size. Paly’s team has grown and is almost at the point where it will have at least one relay in each age group. “Our swimmers are among the most competitive in the Y league,” coach Kameron Kennedy said. “San Pedro beats us only in sheer number of swimmers.” Six-year-old, Hunter Loncar swam five events. He was disqualified in the 25 Breast, but finished first in the other four: 25 Fly, 25 Free, 50 Free and 25 Back. Caroline Carswell also six, took fourth in the 25 Free and 25 Breast. “Our swimmers continue to do so well,” Paly co-coach Eric Butler said. “I couldn’t be prouder of their effort. Many of our kids swim four, five times a week after school and it shows. Nine-year-old Courtney Carswell took two seconds in the 200 Free and the 100 Breast, fourth in three events: 200 IM, 50 Breast, 50 Fly and a fifth in the 100 I.M. Overall she earned 117 points for the team. For the boys in the same age category, Nicholas Edel once again proved that Pali was a force to be reckoned with by taking first in 200 IM and the 200 Free. He sprinted to a second in the 50 Breast and 100 Free. In the 50 Free, he placed third. The 11 & 12 year old girls were led by Catherine Wang. Swimming eight races and never placing lower than a third, Wang had three firsts in the 50 Fly (31.70), 200 Free (2:15.07) and 50 Free (29.17). Her second place finishes were in the 100 Breast, 100 Free and 100 Fly. Her third place finishes came in the 100 and 200 IM. Olivia Kirkpatrick took third in the 100 Breast. Having a strong meet was 13-year-old Alexandra Edel who took first in the 400 IM (5:06.74), knocking eleven seconds off over her previous swim, and in the 200 Free (2:09.74). Edel swam to second in the 200 IM and 200 Breast, as well as placing third in 100 Free, 100 Breast and 50 Free. She placed fourth in the 100 Fly which was her lowest finish. Alison Merz placed second in the 200 free and 50 Free. She also took fourth in the 200 IM and fifth in the 100 Breast. Danny Fujinaka,13, continues to stream through the water. Even though he still has another year in the 13 &14 age group, he took first in the 100 free in the blistering time of (56.01). He also took second in the 100 Fly, knocking a second off of his previous time. He swam a fourth in the 200 I.M. and fifth in the 100 Back. In the 15-and-over girls, Erica Drennan continues to be a mainstay for the Y team. At this meet she took a second in the 100 Fly, third in the 100 Back and fourth in the 200 I.M. and 100 Free. Hudson Lofchie, who had no time in the 200 IM before this meet swam it in (3:07.08) which was good enough to place third. “We’re in great shape,” Kennedy said. “By the time Y Champs come in February, I expect all of the swimmers to be peaking with personal bests.” The next Y meet is the Regional Meet January 7th and 8th.
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