Varsity boys sweep all events; varsity girls hindered by injuries, illness; and JV boys impress against Berkeley’s deep squad.
Piedmont High swimmers brought serious energy to a high-intensity meet against Berkeley, with the varsity boys sweeping every event in a 100–70 win. “Overall, the meet was exciting and fun,” said Head Coach Adrien Downey.
“The team seating was a little cramped and old-school, but we had front-row seats to the action, and the cheering and energy was a lot better.”
Though the varsity girls lost 105–64 and the JV boys fell 106–40, Downey emphasized the strong individual performances across the board.
“Our varsity boys created a lot of momentum right out of the gate in the first relay, and sustained it by winning every single event of the meet,” Downey said. “Asher Takazawa gave us an early lead in the 200 medley relay with a lifetime best in the 50 back, then dominated the 200 IM and 100 back. Cole Carnazzo showed even more reasons why he’s one of the most versatile and reliable swimmers in the conference. His wins in the 100 fly and 500 free were not only impressive performances in themselves, but he beat Berkeley’s fastest swimmer which helped secure the team victory for us.”
Head Coach Adrien Downey
JV boys also impressed: “Zayd Mahmood, Dean Kvoriak, Rylan Patty, and Theo Ferguson all showed major speed improvements. They held their own against a much deeper squad.”
On the girls’ side, Downey noted the team stepped up under tough circumstances. “All our girls swam varsity to cover injuries and illness, and they stayed focused. Cynthia Wu had her best meet of the year, giving us a chance in the medley relay with her excellent backstroke, plus wins in the 50 free and 100 back. Abigail Jacoby raced smart and with heart, and came back with a dominant 100 free after a tough 200 IM. Isla McCardell swam several great races, but none more exciting than her upset victory in the 100 breaststroke win.”
Piedmont faces Castro Valley on Friday in their final dual meet before WACC and NCS.
Photos courtesy of Lisa Chan Carnazzo