Mount de Sales head swimming coach Courtney Gahagan and assistant Joe MIller are all smiles after their team's victory over McDonogh.
McDonogh swimming coach Scott Ward saw his Eagles lose for the first time since 2000, ending a streak of 51 consecutive swimming victories.
It went down to the last heat of the day at the
McDonogh pool on Wednesday as the girls swimming team from Mount de Sales defeated
the defending league champion Eagles, 89-81, on the strength of a win in the
eleventh heat of the day, the 400 yard free relay.
The Eagles, under coach Scott Ward had not lost a
meet since the 2000-2001 season, realing off 51 straight victories. Ward had
high praise for the Sailors.
"It came down to the final relay. Going into that last heat it was just a two-point difference (79-77)," Ward. "Our
girls gave it their best shot, but Mount de Sales has a great team, and they were
able to win the last race of the day when the meet was on the line."
Ward's teams have won five consecutive league championships, but
yesterday Mount de Sales and their coach Courtney Gahagan took the
title. Gahagan's swimmers remain unbeaten on the season, as both teams
came into today's contest without a loss.
McDonogh grabbed the lead in the first heat of
the day, the 200 yard medley relay, and they stayed ahead through the first five
heats. The Sailors pulled ahead in the 100 yard
freestyle, but McDonogh came right back to tie the meet, 55-55, in the 500
yard freestyle event.
The Eagles would regain the lead at 63-61 in the
200 yard freestyle relay, but Mount de Sales would win out after that, capturing
the day on the strength of wins by Emily Dean, Mattie Riley and a strong effort
from Jenny Nevin, who finished second in three events.
Dean won the 110 yard fly,100 yard backstroke, and
was first in the 400 free relay and second in the 200 yard medley relay. Riley
was first in the 100 yard and 400 yard free, and second in the 50 free and 200
yard free relay. Nevin was second in the 110 yard free, the 100 yard
breaststroke and the 200 yard free relay.
"Today was the most exciting high school meet I've seen in a
long, long time," saidn Gahagan. "Both teams were very talented and
the races were extremely fast.
"Today could have gone either way, and we saw that in every single
race."