Swimmers, divers on top of game in Eagle Invite

Xavier Prep swimming coach Maureen Rankin said it best.

“Another fabulous weekend of racing for the Xavier girls varsity swimming team!’’ she said.

The Gators’ diving team also had a dominating performance with a first-place finish, helping the team to an overall win in the Phoenix Country Day School Eagle Invite on Friday (Sept. 30) and Saturday (Oct.1).

With Camelback Mountain serving as a backdrop, the Xavier dive team along with assistant coach Laura Forbes, left, and head coach Frank Pipitone (red shirt) celebrate their win in the Eagle Invitational. (Photo courtesy of Frank Pipitone.)

 Some highlights . . .

200-yard medley relay – The Xavier “A’ team of Katie McCoy, Mary Roediger, Olivia Paliscak and Quinn Blake had a strong winning performance, and the Xavier “B’ relay team of Kate Hubbard, Kyle Gunzy, Haley Hubbard and Thea Cartier) finished fifth.

200-yard freestyle – McCoy won the event, Carlie Hermann finished fifth and Kate Hubbard was sixth, all with provisional qualifying times for the state meet.

50-yard freestyle – Roediger got an automatic state qualifying time of 24.28 with her second-place finish. Paliscak was seventh and Blake eighth, both with provisional state times.

100-yard butterfly – McCoy was second with an automatic qualifying time of 57.58. Haley Hubbard was fifth with a provisional state time.

100-yard freestyle – Paliscak was second, Paliscak fourth, Izzy Gomez fourth Cartier fifth, Clare Carlson seventh and Taylor Guthrie eighth.

500-yard freestyle – Hermann was sixth with a state provisional time and Vica Dow finished eighth.

200-yard freestyle relay – Xavier touched the wall first with its “A’ team of Blake, Dow, Jocelyn Jones and Roediger. The Gators’ “B” team was second with Cartier, Hermann, Gunzy and Gomez.

100-yard backstroke – Haley Hubbard was eighth with her state provisional time.

100-yard breaststroke – Roediger finished second with an automatic qualifying time.

400-yard freestyle relay – The Xavier “A’ team of McCoy, Dow, Gomez and Paliscak finished second. The “B’ team of Jones, Carlson, Hermann and Guthrie was sixth.

1-meter diving – Xavier scored 53 points to build a 27-point victory over second-place Phoenix Country Day and 29 points over third-place Scottsdale Chaparral.

The Gators’ top four individuals were second-place Maddie Sewell, third-place Alyssa Largay, seventh-place Talle Donley and ninth-place Molly Cahill.

Xavier’s next meet is on Thursday (Oct. 6) against Mesa Mountain View at the Brophy Pool.