Swimming Teams Seek a City Title Monopoly

A year ago, Maggie Nance was thrilled to celebrate coaching the Palisades High girls swimming team to a City Section title. She was also proud of her boys team, which finished second despite a valiant effort.

This season, Nance’s goal is simple: to win the City championship in both varsity and junior varsity groups.

“We have a really strong team this year,” said Nance, who is in her 10th year as head coach and 13th overall. “I’m hoping to realize my career-long goal of winning all four titles. We almost did it last year, and I’m hoping we can do it this year.”

Though several key contributors graduated, including Soheila Kamjou and Mara Silka on the girls team and Andrew Hacker and J.J. Amis on the boys side, Nance is confident that returnees will step up and meet the challenge.

“Every fast girl we lost has been replaced by a fast girl, and the same thing with the boys,” Nance said. “This is as strong a team as we’ve ever had. It’s a wonderful group of kids, and my coaches are really seasoned now. This looks like it could be a great year.”

One standout is senior Ali Vitous, who won the 500-yard freestyle at City finals last year with a time of 5:10.08 and anchored the 200-yard medley relay team. Sophomore Alexus Wang, who helped Pali win the 400-yard freestyle relay, is another main cog. Sophomore Mardell Ramirez, one of PaliHi’s top water polo players who transferred from Brentwood after her freshman year, will contribute in the 100 and 200 freestyle.

On the boys side, junior Tristan Marsh will utilize his broad skill set to try and help push the Dolphins over the hump. Nance credits Marsh as being extremely hard-working and versatile. At City finals, he won the 200-yard individual medley and the 100-yard breaststroke.

Freshman Brandon Yong, who attended Paul Revere and is training for the Rio Olympic trials, brings great speed to the table. Yong excels in the 200 freestyle, while senior Max King specializes in the 200 medley. Juniors Patrick Huggins and Alex Feizbakhsh swim the 100 free.

Monday against University, Huggins won the 100 free with a time of :51.80, while Yong won the 200 free with 1:49.70 and the 500 free with 5:01.50. Vitous posted a time of 5:36 in the 500 free, while Ramirez took the 100 free with :54.20.

PaliHi’s next meet will be at home on April 15 against LACES at 2:30 p.m. Their final two meets will also be at home, April 22 against Hamilton and April 29 against Venice.