Favored teams win in All Schools

Whispering Palms School and Saipan International School held on to their championships in the elementary and junior high divisions, while Marianas Baptist Academy emerged as the new power in the high school ranks during the 2004 All-Schools Swimming Championships on Saturday at the Kan Pacific Swimming Pool in Marpi.

It became another numbers game in the 12-and-under division, as Whispering Palms entered the most number of kids in the elementary level and ran away with the perpetual plaque.

The school from Navy Hill finished with a whopping 228 points, which was more than 100 points ahead of runner-up Saipan International’s 123 points. Calvary Christian Academy (78), San Vicente Elementary School (36), Saipan Community School (24), Mt. Carmel School (20) and a home school team (19) round up the participating schools in the division.

“Our swim team was successful because we had a lot of kids involved. We wanted to have a competitive team and have loads of kids in the water. Fortunately, one lead to the other and we had kids in more events than other schools,” said Whispering Palms coach Jeff Race.

Saipan International did what it failed to accomplish in the elementary level by taking home the perpetual plaque in the junior high division. The school from As Lito wound up with 120 total points to finish ahead of Saipan Community School and Marianas Baptist School, which scored 75 and 27 points, respectively. Mt. Carmel brought up the rear in the 14-and-under division with 17 points.

“We are happy to have the junior high plaque once again. All our swimmers performed exceptionally well, gaining points for the team, as well as swimming personal bests in their events,” Saipan International coach Betty Johnson said.

Marianas Baptist School, meanwhile, blew the competition out of the water in the 18-and-under age group. The school from Dandan captured the high school division on the basis of its 111 points, way ahead of the 33 put up by Marianas High School and the 28 points recorded by Mt. Carmel.

Calvary Christian and Saipan Southern High close out the competition in the five-team field with 26 and 14 points, respectively.

The win by Marianas Baptist made coach Stan Good a prophet. Prior to the All Schools, Good assured everyone that the high school perpetual trophy was as good as theirs.

He, however, credited the team’s success to the transfer of some of the stronger swimmers from Saipan International to Marianas Baptist at the start of the school year.

“Marianas Baptist won because the same kids who used to be at Saipan International are now high school age and are enrolled at the school. Our core group has also been together for over five years now and I also got a few other kids join in for good measure,” he said.

Coach Mike Stewart, whose Saipan Swim Club organized the meet, said he was happy with the results of the All Schools and is looking forward to host a more organized event in April or May next year.

“With a meet like this, I think it’s more important that all participants come away with a positive experience. I hope I and the Saipan Swim Club was able to deliver such an experience,” he said.