Roster depth is a desired attribute for dual-meet swimming, but consistent first-place touches are more valuable. Woodbridge’s girls team made that clear Thursday.
The 10th-ranked Warriors captured all three relays and seven of the eight individual events to collect a critical victory, 90-80, against No. 7 Irvine in a Pacific Coast League meet at the Woollett Aquatics Center.
Woodbridge’s boys completed the sweep, collecting a 92-78 triumph against Irvine to improve to 1-3 in league.
The Warriors’ girls (3-1 in league) kept their league title hopes alive. Woodbridge trails No. 6 Corona del Mar (4-0), whom it narrowly lost against, but could still claim its first league title because of a weighted scoring formula. The league awards an extra point to the team that wins the league finals meet.
“We get another crack at (Corona del Mar),” Woodbridge coach Pat Bangs told a few of her swimmers after the meet.
Woodbridge moved into contention on the strength of its standouts.
Daniela Georges and Isis Choi each won two events, while Molly McCance, Kate Krolikowski and Sydney Okubo each won one. Irvine’s lone victory came from freshman Julia Wright in the 100-yard freestyle with a season-best 53.35 seconds.
“That was the difference,” Bangs said. “We don’t have the depth yet but we have all the high-end stuff, so you’ve got to go with that.”
The Arizona-bound Georges won the 200 free (1:51.93) and the 500 free (4:57.76), her CIF title event from last May. Choi, a junior, won the 200 individual medley (2:07.44) and breaststroke (1:06.27).
McCance (50 free, 25.47), Krolikowski (butterfly, 58.84) and Okubo (backstroke, 57.53) each added first-place touches. The group of two freshmen and a sophomore added three second-place finishes.
Woodbridge’s top-end speed was so good it absorbed Whitney Chang’s disqualification as the winner in the butterfly for a prolonged underwater streamline.
“I don’t think Woodbridge has ever been this high (in the standings),” Georges said.
Irvine (2-2 in league) finished second-third-fourth in three races to make the score close.
At the Foothill Swim Games:
Santa Margarita’s Grant Shoults qualified first for Saturday’s finals in the 200 IM (1:52.34) and 500 free (4:31.17) to help pace the boys prelims. University’s Will Hofstadter also earned two top seeds by sweeping the 50 (21.48) and 100 free (47.12).
Contact the writer: dalbano@ocregister.com
