Casa Grande girls get off to great pool start

The Casa Grande High School girls swim team, competing for the first time in six years back in the Petaluma Swim Center pool after having to share the Petaluma High pool, is off to one of its best starts in several seasons.

The Gaucho girls have won their first two meets, against Montgomery and Windsor, both legitimate, strong opponents. In high school swimming, there are six competitors and five can score. Any win is a true team effort.

Casa’s first meet was against Montgomery. The score was Casa 94, Montgomery 80. Both Priscilla Ng (50 free) and Josie Broderson (500 free) were first-place finishers.

Every Casa girl scored points in the meet.

Among the second-place finishers were Sawyer Backman, 200 IM; Molly McSweeney, 50 free; Kaitlyn Perry, 100 fly; Rachel Ng, 500 free; and Lucia Mora, 100 breaststroke.

Casa’s second meet was a more impressive win over Windsor, with Casa scoring 102 to 77 for Windsor.

It’s been a long time since the girls have beaten Windsor, and it was done in the Windsor pool.

Of the 11 events, Casa won nine, but again, it was the fact that every girl who swam contributed points that led to the team win. Casa Grande won two out of the three relays with Broderson, Mora, Perry and Priscilla Ng in the 200 medley relay. Ng, Hannah Wood, Broderson and Taylor Rappa won the 200 free relay.

A double winner was Mora in the 50 free and the 100 breaststroke.

Other notable swims included a second in the 100 fly by McSweeney, a first in the 100 free by Tia Bentivegna, and a second and third by Cassie Bailon in the 100 back and 500 free.

Small boys team

Casa Grande has a small boys team, but one with great variety. Casa has one of the strongest swimmers in the North Bay League this year in Henry Steiner, who trains with the Westside Aquatics. He swims the 200 IM and the 100 fly. He has been a contender each year, but being a senior this year, he is expected to truly shine.

Other notables are Erick Grini, a sophomore who trains in Marin; another senior from Westside, Max Yu; Andrew Sanchez, who has some competitive swimming background, and a few newbies to the sport - Brian Howard, Ryan Chavez, Daniel Martinez and Will Lewcyzk.