CMS Sweeps Occidental

The CMS Stags and Athenas traveled to Occidental College on Saturday, January 24, 2009 and defeated the Tigers by scores of 202-69 (men) and 184-97 (women). The teams competed in a non-traditional event schedule, with both 100's and 200's of each stroke completed, as well as both the 200 and 400 IM.

Senior Jordan Stewart (Minnetonka, MN [pictured]) led the Athenas, touching first in three individual events, the 400 IM, 100 free and 200 IM, all in season-best times. Beyond Stewart, eight different Athenas won individual events: Whitney Dawson (FR, Portland, OR), 200 free, Jenni Rinker (SO, Eagle River, AK), 100 back, Emma Jones (FR, Eugene, OR), 100 breast, Chrysanthia Cheung-Lau (SO, Ontario), 200 fly, Tessa Dover (SO, San Luis Obispo), 200 back, Caitrin O’Brien (JR, Potomac, MD), 200 breast, Carliann Brashier (SO, Highlands Ranch, CO), 500 free, and Heidi Wolfgruber (SO, New Canaan, CT), 100 fly.

CMS also dominated the relays. Rinker was a triple winner on the day, leading off the top 200 medley relay and 400 free relay, along with her 100 backstroke win. Rinker joined Annie Perizzolo (SO, Aurora, CO), Jessica Harrang (SR, Sammamish, WA) and Jones on the 200 medley relay and Perizzolo, Elica Sharifnia (FR, Beaverton, OR) and Dawson in the 400 free relay

The Stags won 15 of the 16 events on the weekend. Vincent Pai (FR, Walnut) continued improving in his signature breaststroke events, clocking in at 59.36 in the 100, which was a CMS freshman record. Pai later took control of the 200 IM. Fellow frosh, Austin Hallett (Bainbridge Island, WA) posted a strong 4:20.17 in the 400 IM and bested the field in the 100 fly, as well. Other Stag winners included Ian McGinnity (SO, Mesa, AZ), 200 free, Nick Ostreim (SO, Phoenix, AZ), 100 back, Brian Nadler (SO, Davis), 200 fly, John Sloat (SR, Lafayette), 50 free, Jeff McNerney (FR, Paradise Valley, AZ), 100 free, Brendan Huss (FR, Omaha, NE), 200 back, and Brian Li (SO, Hong Kong, China), 500 free.

Relay victors were Ostreim, Pai, Huss and Ryan Kristensen (SO, Saugus) in the 200 medley and Hallett, McNerney, Kristensen and Sloat in the 400 free relay. The diving competition took place on Friday afternoon, with Garrett Smith (SO, Goleta) winning the one-meter board for the Stags and Greg Hall (SR, Florence, OR) taking top honors for CMS on three-meter.

The CMS Athenas and Stags are each 6-0 in SCIAC competition with one dual meet left before the SCIAC Championships. CMS travels to the University of Redlands Saturday, January 31. Diving is scheduled to begin at 10:00 and swimming at 11:00.