MANCHESTER • While the Glendale girls swimming and diving team was winning everything, tiny Villa Duchesne made a name for itself at Saturday's Parkway South Invitational.
The Saints finished fourth in the 12-team event, just behind the host Patriots. Glendale won with 215 points, followed by Notre Dame de Sion (166) and Parkway South (157). Lafayette rounded out the top five with 147 points.
"We're happy to be even in that group," Villa Duchesne coach Corrine Murphy said. "I didn't know how we would end up. This showed what state will look like for us and it's pretty promising."
There was no slowing down Glendale's Gretchen Stein, who was named Outstanding Swimmer of the Meet. Stein won the 200-yard freestyle (1:55.77) and the 500 freestyle with a time of 5:13.25. Glendale posted the winning time of 1:43.7 in the 200 freestyle relay and also won the 400 freestyle relay with a time of 3:43.23.
"Glendale was just a powerhouse this weekend," Parkway South coach Sara Gerth said. "They pretty much came here and took it. And it was theirs for the picking. You see (Stein's) name every single year at the top. She's consistent, keeps (her) cool and continues to win."
Two Parkway swimmers were valid contenders for the meet's top performer award.
Parkway Central's Ally Neumann led the Colts to a sixth place finish as she won the 200 IM with a time of 2:16.88. Neumann came back to win the 100 breaststroke in 1:11.23
Parkway West's Kate Gately and Parkway South's Samm Crocker again went at it in the 50 freestyle. The pair have been battling in the sprints all season. On Saturday, Gately won with a time of 24.33 with Crocker second in 25.04. Gately also won the 100 freestyle with a time of 53.45.
Marquette's Abby Watson, Ashley Daniels, Jessi Goring and Natasha Porporis won the 200 medley relay with a time of 1:57.16.
Watson won the 100 backstroke with a time of 1:01.35
Parkway North's Natalie Grey won the diving competition with 425.10 points, just ahead of Parkway West's Francesca Giganti's 421.8 points.
Parkway South felt good about their third-place showing but felt they left points in the pool.
"We were really up and down," Gerth said. "I get really stressed out at this meet, and I think my stress bows off on them. There was definitely some disappointment."
Villa Duchesne got a winning performance from Bentley Boyd in the 100 butterfly with a time of 59.65. Teammate Morgan Mullenix came third in the 500 freestyle (5:21.68), and Sarah Sutherlin came in third in the 100 backstroke (1:02.99).
"This is our strongest year," Murphy said. "A big reason for that is the 16 seniors on the team. We only had one event not filled and that's pretty decent."
