EL CAJON — After nearly breaking the CIF San Diego Section’s second-oldest girls swim record last year, Mt. Carmel junior Catherine Rowe has done it.
Rowe set the 100-yard backstroke mark of 54.37 seconds in the Division 2 prelims at Granite Hills High School on Wednesday, suring the mark of 54.55 set by San Marcos’ Nicole Parameter in 2009.
“The work that I’ve put in this season has really paid off,” said Rowe, whose previous best came in last year’s prelims (54.63). “I thought I wasn’t get it until (the finals). So maybe I can break it again.”
The finals are at 9 a.m. Saturday at the same site.
Mater Dei Catholic senior Isa Chavez-Varela will look to close her career with section titles in four events. She set up the possibility by qualifying first in the 100 butterfly (55:19) in a switch from the 500 free.
The future University of Alabama swimmer will also go for her third 200 IM crown after leading qualifying (2:00.03). Her other titles came in the 500 free and 200 free.
“It was nice doing something that wasn’t the 500 free,” Chavez-Varela said. ”My 200 fly was really good (in club swimming), so I thought I’d give it a try.”
Coming off twin wins in his freshman year, Point Loma’s Alex Pletcher is looking to repeat after recording top times in the boys 200 freestyle (1:39.78) and 100 freestyle (45.57).
“I’m not completely rested for this meet, so I can focus on state,” Pletcher said “Still, I want my best times on Saturday.”
Point Loma junior McKenna Carroll led the way in the same two events for the girls in her bid for an encore title in the 200 freestyle (1:51.64) and her first in the 100 freestyle (51.95).
Rowe qualified fourth in the 100 freestyle (52.79), while Clairemont freshman Lola Hallie made a strong debut in third (52.25).
Coronado junior Gage Everitt led the field in the 100 butterfly (49.80) and the 100 backstroke (51.63).
