Panthers third at CCS swim finals
Livak, Warren each win league titles for Rams
By Dick Sparrer
It was a good weekend for the Presentation girls swimming team. Not quite as good as a year ago, but good nonetheless.
The Panthers couldn't quite match their Central Coast Section (CCS) championship effort of 2001 when they competed in the CCS championships last Saturday at the Santa Clara International Swim Center, but they did come through with a third-place showing in a rugged field.
Mitty cruised to the CCS title by rolling up 270 points at the championship meet over the weekend. Mountain View finished with 171 points to finish second, and Presentation was just a point back in third at 170. Homestead was fourth at 161, with St. Francis fifth at 160.
Junior sensation Nicole Taheri led the Panthers to the team third with a third- and a fourth-place finish.
Taheri breezed to a third in the 200-yard freestyle in 1:55.41, and she came back with a fourth in the 500 free in 5:02.06.
Taheri also teamed with seniors Laura Wheeler and Colleen Smith and sophomore Jenny Wickersham for a fifth in the 400 free relay in 3:41.47, and she joined with Wheeler and freshmen Helen Smith and Julie Oreglia for a sixth in the 200 free relay in 1:41.74.
Smith, Oreglia and Wickersham got together with Carlene Takaki for a sixth in the 200 medley relay in 1:52.40.
In other championship action, Wheeler finished eighth in the 100 free in 54.75 for the Panthers.
In consolation events, Wickersham was first (ninth overall) in the 200 free in 1:55.86, with Smith fourth (12th overall) in 2:12.66 and Wheeler fifth (13th overall) in 2:14.30.
Freshman Carlene Takaki won a pair of consolation events, taking the 100 butterfly in 58.59 and the 100 backstroke in 1:00.53.
In other consolation action, Wickersham was third in the 500 free in 5:11.21, and Smith was fifth in the 100 breaststroke in 1:10.17.
Willow Glen had just a couple of competitors at CCS. Courtney Livak was 22nd in the girls 200 individual medley in 2:19.61 and 30th in the 100 breast in 1:12.60, and Andrew Warren was 20th in the 1-meter diving event with 162.35 points.
Rams win
Livak and Warren were each individual champions at league finals in the Santa Teresa Division of the Blossom Valley Athletic League.
Livak breezed to a win in the 200 IM in 2:20.60, and she came back with a first in the 100 breast in 1:10.96. She also helped the Rams to a third in the 200 medley relay in 2:08.18.
Warren was the league diving champ in the boys finals, rolling up 299 points to win the title.
John Okun supported with a second-place finish in the 200 free in 2:02.65 and Kyle Buchanan was third in the 100 fly in 1:03.88.
Panthers second
A year ago, Presentation had taken the title in the Mt. Hamilton Division of the Blossom Valley Athletic League before winning the CCS crown. This year, though, it was Mitty claiming both crowns.
The Monarchs topped the Panthers 121-64 in the final dual meet of the season to claim the division championship. Mitty finished with a 6-0 record, and Presentation was second at 5-1.
Wickersham finished first in the 500 free in 5:10.45, and Smith was a winner in the 100 breast in 1:11.49 for Presentation's only victories of the day.
Willow Glen, California Since 1992
