Perfect boys prepare for post-season

FEB 1, MONTGOMERY COLLEGE, TAKOMA-

The boys' swim team closed out their undefeated season by pulverizing Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School (B-CC), crushing the Barons 105-66. The girls' team was equally punished by B-CC's girls, losing 109-62.

Blair's boys dominated B-CC as they'd expected to as the finale to a perfect first season in Division I. Blair took first in every swimming event, and swept both the 200-yard and the 100-yard freestyle races. Senior co-captain Ian MacKinnon's first place-winning 1:51.70 in the 200-yard freestyle qualified him for Metros, as did senior co-captain Pete Johnson's 24.25 in the 50-yard freestyle, which also took first.

Johnson's first place in the 100-yard freestyle was a personal best of 54.41 that left him exhausted on the deck for nearly 20 minutes after his heat. He went out behind two B-CC swimmers but was determined to catch them and did. "I had to push myself hard to win," said Johnson. "After I did, I could barely get out of the pool. Basically, I swam so hard that I couldn't move for 15 minutes, but it was worth it."

Johnson, the boys' lead diver, did not dive against B-CC, but is expected to break Blair's six-dive record at Divisionals next weekend, according to Coach David Swaney. He is working on an inward one-and-a-half somersault and, "hopefully," Johnson says, a front one-and-a-half with a full twist. Junior Elizabeth Finn also has six dives ready for Divisionals, and Swaney predicts that she will break the girls' six-dive record. "I think they'll both get it," Swaney said. "I think they'll both score points. They'll both place at Divisionals."

Finn placed second versus the Barons, but senior diver Ilene Arnsdorf scored a personal best of 113.8, placing third in the event.

In the races, the Blazer girls could not keep up with the Division II Barons as they had hoped they might. "The B-CC girls were better than we thought," said Swaney.

Senior co-captain Leah Cowdrey won the 100-yard breaststroke, earning the only first place rank for the girls. Freshman Diana Frey's 1:07.99 split in the 100-yard butterfly was a personal best for Frey and a highlight of the meet for Blair's girls.

The girls are not looking forward to much success in the post-season, but Swaney expects some points from Finn and freshman Kelsey Dean.

The boys, on the other hand, are looking for heated competition, said Swaney. "We're not as fast as we are deep," he said. "Our top guys need time drops at the end so we can win the County. That's what it's going to take."

Sherwood and Walter Johnson high schools are the Blazers' biggest post season threat, as they were their biggest regular season challengers. These two meets, as well as the one against Whitman High School were tight for the boys, so Swaney predicts that the post-season races will be close. "It's a crap shoot. It depends on the line-up," he said.