Liverpool girls swimming hands CBA its first dual meet loss since the 2001 season.

Saturday, October 20, 2007

By M.F. Piraino

Staff writer

Liverpool girls swimming pulled the curtain down on CBA's six-year dual meet win streak with a 98-88 victory Friday at Liverpool. The tense meet between the area's last two undefeated teams was tied twice and had eight lead changes before the Warriors ended the Brothers' 67-meet win streak that dated back to 2001.

"It was like a wonderful heavyweight bout," Liverpool coach Zac Mekker said. "Their kids stepped up then our kids stepped up."

As one CBA streak came to a halt, Liverpool's continued as the Warriors have chalked up 21 straight dual meet wins over the last two seasons. The Brothers have won seven straight Section III Class B championships.

The Brothers (9-1) collected crucial points in two of their better events, the 200-yard individual medley and the 500 freestyle. In the 200 IM, Destiny Cerlanek placed first in 2 minutes, 19.99 seconds to lead a 1-3-4 CBA finish. Mary Fletcher took third in 2:25.10.

Distance freestyler Ruthie Speidel won the 500 free in 5:29.37 followed by Kaley Pfohl in second with a 5:33.29.

But Liverpool seized the lead for good when it took the top two spots in the 200 free relay. Brianna Capria, Becky Evangelista, Carly Jones and Mary Chidsey swam to a first-place time of 1:43.33. Kelley Yaworsky, Sarah Stroup, Kelly Ross, Francesca Litz came in second, just edging CBA with a time of 1:45.81. The Warriors (11-0) won all three relay events.

"That second relay really stepped it up," Mekker said. "That's when I thought the meet went over to us. The key for us was winning the three relays."

Besides swimming on two winning relays, Jones posted a personal-best time in the 100 free. She finished first in a blistering 54.65 seconds. Mary Chidsey picked up wins in the 50 free (.25.53 seconds) and 100 backstroke (1:03.83) for the Warriors.

M.F. Piraino can be reached at 470-2211 or fpiraino@syracuse.com.