The La Cañada High School varsity boys’ and girls’ swimming and diving teams dominated the Rio Hondo League finals at the Rose Bowl Aquatics Center last Friday.
The Spartans won at every level, and the varsity boys tallied 486 points to edge second-place San Marino for a second consecutive season.
The girls finished with 459 points, which was enough to defeat the Titans (442 points) and claim the league title for a second straight year.
“We have seen a lot of spectacular growth this year from all levels, and we are heading into CIF with a lot of really great momentum,” LCHS boys’ swimming coach David Hill said in an email. “We have more team depth this year than we have had in a long time. It’s good to see all the pieces of hard work neatly falling into place together.”
All qualified swimmers will swim in the CIF Southern Section Division 2 prelims this Friday, May 3, at the Riverside aquatics Complex. The finals will be this Saturday at 4 p.m.
The LCHS boys finished the season unbeaten in league play and set a several new meet records.
Danny Syrkin led the charge winning two events and helping his team capture gold in two relay races. The junior won the 100-yard backstroke and set a new meet record with a time of 49.31 seconds. He also placed first in the 200-yard freestyle with a time of 1 minute, 40.95 seconds.
Syrkin also teamed up with Eddie Cosic, Thomas Hoffman and Chris O’Grady to compete in the 200 medley relay. The Spartans won the race and set a new meet record with a time of 1:33.18. The quartet also won the 200-yard freestyle relay with a time of 1:25.15, which is also a meet record.
Juan Grases medaled in two single events, winning the 500-yard freestyle (4 minutes, 44.54 seconds) and placing third in the 200 free (1:46.22).
Joshua Kim won the 200-yard individual medley (1:55.32) and placed third in the 100 breaststroke with a time of 1:00.18.
He also teamed up with Hoffman, Braden Beagle and Ryan Silva to compete in the 400 free relay. The four Spartans finished in 3:13.14 and placed second in the race.
O’Grady took home two silver medals after placing second in the 200 free (1:45.20) and 100 breast (58.88) events.
Stephan Badescu and Hoffman also contributed second-place finishes. Badescu finished the 500 free in 4:51.48 for silver, and Hoffman was the runner-up in the 100 butterfly with a time of 51.11.
Beagle had two third-place finishes, taking home bronze medals in the 200 IM (1:57.42) and 100 backstroke (52.48).
Junior Tatsuya Machida recorded 495 points in the boys’ diving competition and placed second. Sophomore Ray Wipfli wasn’t far behind with 490.56 for third place.
Alexandra Syrkin won individual league titles in the 200-yard freestyle and 100 butterfly events.
Alexandra Syrkin was just as impressive as her brother Danny, winning two individual league crowns and helping the Spartans medal in two relay races.
Syrkin won the 200-yard freestyle with a time of 1:53.59 and 100 butterfly with a time of 57.18. She grouped up with Isabella Caramaschi, Maddie Odell and Shannon Ring to compete in the 200 medley relay. They placed second in the race with a time of 1:52.10.
Syrkin was also part of the 400 free relay team that included Odell, Ring and Angeli Paull. The quartet posted a winning time of 3:39.20.
Ring won a silver medal after finishing the 100 breaststroke in 1:09.59 and helped the 200 free relay team, which included Halley Hemphill, Else Trocker and Angeli Paull, place second with a time of 1:42.21.
Mae O’Grady was third in the 500 free with a time of 5:36.49, Paull won a bronze medal in the 200 free (1:59.01), Odell posted a time of 2:17.35 for third place in the 200 individual medley and Caramaschi finished the 100 breaststroke race in 1:10.52 for third.
Grace Lee won the Rio Hondo League individual diving title with a score of 511.60.
