LINWOOD — The Mainland Regional and Ocean City High School girls swim teams have been trading places atop the Power Point rankings. At the end of last week, the Mustangs (8-1) had the barest edge of 3,166.67 points over No. 2 Ocean City (7-2) at 3,162. Shawnee was third at 2,946.
The Mustangs narrowly beat Ocean City 86-84 when the two teams met earlier this season and appear headed for another meet against the Raiders in the South Jersey Group B sectionals. The Mustangs lost only to Our Lady of Mercy Academy 99-71 to open the season. In addition to Mainland, the Raiders also lost to OLMA.
On Jan. 15, the Mustang girls beat Vineland 100-70 and two days later topped Absegami 127-42. They were facing Cedar Creek on Tuesday after the Sentinel sports section went to press and will travel to Egg Harbor Township at 4 p.m. Thursday for their final regular season meet.
“We’ve been coming together. The girls have been working really hard. I’ve seen a lot of good things in meets,” head coach Mike Demarest said after the Vineland meet.
He is “absolutely” pleased with his team’s progress so far this season. “The girls have been swimming really well this year and it’s coming together nicely.”
Both he and his swimmers know they could be up against Ocean City in the South Jersey sectionals.
“The girls are really aware of it. It’s something we talk about all the time. It’s a good driver for us — the Power Points and how we line up,” Demarest said. “We just know we have to put in the work now so it pays off later. That’s what we are focusing on.”
MRHS 100, Vineland 70
Mainland won the opening 200-meter medley relay with Reese McEvoy, Ella Mokienko, Alivia Wainwright and Aixell Perez-Mercedes in 2 minutes, 7.47 seconds. Vineland was second with Leah Macho, Lena Smith, Ava Smith and Olivia Elliott and third with Ariana Frangakis, Gabby Brown, Illiana Figueroa and Rebekah Bermudez.
Ambar Perez-Mercedes won the 200 freestyle in 2:12.39 with fellow Mustangs Shannon Sharkey and Megan Pruitt third and fifth. Vineland’s Olivia Masucci was second.
Mainland’s Ryann Lowry (2:34.42) won the 200 individual medley, coming from behind to nip Vineland’s Ava Smith by five-hundredths of a second. Mainland’s Mokienko and Shayne Connolly were third and fourth. The Mustangs swept the 50 freestyle with Leah Nirenberg (27.95 seconds), Ambar Perez-Mercedes and Aixell Perez-Mercedes. Elliott was fourth for Vineland.
Wainwright (1:05.34) won the 100 butterfly with McEvoy fourth and Hailey Kerns fifth. Vineland’s Ava Smith and Lena Smith were second and third.
Nirenberg and Pruitt finished first and third in the 100 freestyle. Nirenberg’s winning time was 1:04.13. Macho and Elliott were second and fourth for Vineland.
Masucci gave Vineland its first win of the day in the 400 freestyle with a time of 4:46.90; teammate Alyanna Tiu was fourth. Mainland’s Lowry and Sharkey were second and third.
Mokienko, Taylor Funk, Pruitt and Nirenberg combined to win the 200 freestyle relay in 1:58.55. Vineland’s Elliott, Angelina Saltar, Tiu and Masucci were second and teammates Bermudez, Leah Cola, Layla Jeannette and Figueroa third.
Wainwright earned her second individual win of the day, taking the 100 backstroke in 1:08.59 with Kerns third. Vineland’s Macho and Frangakis were second and fourth.
Gabby Brown (1:19.35) and Lena Smith were first and second in the 100 breaststroke for Vineland. Mokienko, Sasha Rimska and Funk were third, fourth and fifth for Mainland.
The Mustangs won the final event of the meet, the 400 freestyle relay, with Lowry, McEvoy, Nirenberg and Wainwright in 4:16.41. Teammates Sharkey, Kerns, Connolly and Pruitt were third. Vineland’s Masucci, Macho, Lena Smith and Ava Smith were second.
– STORY and PHOTOS by DAVID NAHAN/Sentinel staff
