Tologs hang with the best

GLENDALE — For a young up-and-coming high school swimming program in Southern California, there is no better challenge, or measuring stick, than the Mission Viejo Invitational.

As competitiors in the 35th swimming of the annual event, held by Mission Viejo High Saturday at Mission Viejo's Lower Marguerite Aquatic Complex, members of the Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy swimming team expected to be met with nothing less than the biggest test of their already successful season.

The challenge was stiff, but not without it's rewards.

The team of 12 Tolog swimmers amassed 157 points throughout the daylong event to rank seventh in the field of 29 girls' teams, while several members of the team earned individual medals and met CIF cutoff times.

"The girls really stepped up," said Sacred Heart Coach Gary Appel, whose team is in Division II of the CIF Southern Section, but competed alongside many top Division I teams Saturday. "It was their first major meet, and they showed that they were ready to handle an event with top-quality swimmers."

Freshman Andrea Kropp and sophomore Alex Marquez were winners in the 200-yard individual medley and the 100 freestyle, respectively. Kropp, who swam the 200 IM in 2 minutes, 6.54 seconds, and Marquez, whose 55.99 won the 100 freestyle, were both members of the Tologs two relay teams.

They teamed with Beth Strub and Briana Swinney to notch fourth place in the 400 freestyle relay in 3:45.31, and place seventh in the 200 medley relay with a time of 1:56.10.

Strub also placed 10th in 500 freestyle in 5:19.52, while Swinney swam an automatic CIF qualifying time of 1:02.84 in the 100 backstroke.Teammate Tricia Dobson finished just behind Swinney in the 100 backstroke, also achieving an automatic cut time in 1:03.88, to cap the Tologs' impressive showing.

Overall, Sacred Heart is undefeated in team competiton on the season at 7-0, and 3-0 in Mission League competition. Thursday the Tologs travel to take on rival Harvard-Westlake, which is also undefeated in the Mission League.