It didn’t matter if the Mustangs were in or out of the pool
Friday, they were going to get wet.
Steady rain dropped throughout Friday’s swim meet with visiting
Salinas, and Gilroy was just a couple of events shy of sweeping
both the boys’ and girls’ sides.
GILROY – It didn’t matter if the Mustangs were in or out of the pool Friday, they were going to get wet.
Steady rain dropped throughout Friday’s swim meet with visiting Salinas, and Gilroy was just a couple of events shy of sweeping both the boys’ and girls’ sides. Instead, the GHS boys were the lone victors, winning 120-60 through a strong individual showing by junior Eddie Malick as well as his relay partners, who were able to come together and take all three events – the 200 Individual medley, 200 free and 400 free.
“Our (200) medley relay has been kind of off all year, but I’m pretty sure at TCALs well be going our fastest,” Malick said, referencing the Tri-County Athletic League finals being held Saturday at Alvarez High School in Salinas. “We got guys swimming two to four hours per day. You can’t just show up for a meet and say, ‘I’m going to qualify for [the Central Coast Section meet] today.’ You have to put in the work.”
Strong enough times throughout the season can qualify an individual or relay team for the CCS meet. As of Friday, both Malick and David Pribyl had qualified for CCS in the 100 breast, with Malick just a half-second off of All-American consideration, GHS coach Tom Clark said.
“I know David comes through at CCS pretty fast, so I think they’ll both do well,” Clark added.
Pribyl had his best showing of the season in the 100 fly at Friday’s meet, touching the wall in a time of 56.16. The Mustangs’ Kyle Collett won the 500 free in a time of 5:50.32.
Having lost just one meet this season – a three-point defeat to Hollister – the boys’ team will enter TCALs as one of the favorites.
“It’s probably going to be a three-way meet between us, Salinas and Hollister,” Clark said.
The girls lost their matchup with Salinas 102-68, but found several bright spots on an otherwise cloudy day.
Freshman Michelle Shields won the 50 and 100 free races with times of 26.86 and 58.37, respectively, and junior swimmer Isabella Comin won the 100 IM in 2:36.09.
Comin, Shields, Maegan Collett and Ashley McDermott came together to win the 200 free in 1:52.03. Maegan Collett had already qualified for CCS in the 100 fly and 100 backstroke as of Friday, and Clark thinks Shields and Comin will have a chance to do the same in other events if they can drop some time.
Comin is confident it can be done.
“I’m more of a racer,” she said. “So, when it comes to TCALs, I’ll be faster.”
Overall, Gilroy’s coach was pleased with what he saw during the meet considering the conditions.
“Cold weather is not the best for swimming,” Clark said. “You get in the warm water and it’s kind of a shock. [But], we’re swimming some pretty fast times.”
Clark added that the girls’ 200 IM relay team has an excellent chance to break a school record it already owns at Saturday’s league meet.
