Linwood — The Mainland girls had the lead going into the final 400 freestyle relay against Holy Spirit Dec. 22. The Lady Mustangs didn’t need to win in the event, but they did need to take second and third place.

Holy Spirit won that final race, but the first-place relay team of Julie Bassford, Andrea Williams, Kelsey Thomas and Laura Morrison, didn’t clinch the match for the Lady Spartans. That came courtesy of the Holy Spirit foursome of Molly Given, Beth Desmond, Kristin Borrone and Kristina Wolf.

Despite trailing two of the Mainland relay teams early, the latter Lady Spartan swimmers made their way past both of those Lady Mustang teams to win second place and the meet for Holy Spirit, 96-90.

It was disappointing for the Mainland girls, who swapped leads with their Holy Spirit counterparts and were trying to hang on for the victory, but it kept fans at the edge of their seats for the entire meet.

“It was very disappointing,” Mainland coach John Rakowski said, “to be in the entire meet, up and down, all the way through, and we split the last relays hoping we could secure second and third and win the meet by 2 points.” Unfortunately for the Mainland girls, Holy Spirit coach Mike Schiavo “had a little bit more left than we did and they took 1-2 and won the meet by 6.

“I’m very proud of some of the girls and how they swam today,” Rakowski said. “The kids were into the meet, they cheered one another on, so you have to look at the positives that way. The divers came through for us today. We had some real nice swims from some kids today and other kids need to work a little bit harder.”

Rakowski singled out Katie Adams’ wins in the 50 and 100 freestyle, Erin Curry in the backstroke, and Sydney Boswell in the backstroke and butterfly. And, he said, “The medley relay we put together was real solid.”

Mainland won the opening medley relay courtesy of Sydney Boswell, Erin Curry, Katie Adams and Jane Mittelman and added third-place points from teammates Emma Elmer, Kelsea Kneisel, Nancy Stevenson and Lauren O’Donnell.

The Lady Spartans fired right back in the 200 freestyle, taking first second and fourth. Holy Spirit’s Laura Morrison won going away in 2:13.06, followed by teammates Bassford and Celia Morrison. Colleen Tighe took third place for Mainland.

Photo: David Nahan

Holy Spirit’s Kelsey Thomas on her way to winning the 100 breaststroke last week against Mainland.

Holy Spirit padded its lead in the 200 individual medley. Thomas won in 2:28, but Mainland’s Erin Curry was close behind for second. Borrone was third for Spirit and Maggie Vesper was fifth, pushing the Spartan lead to 26-20.

Lady Mustang Katie Adams helped narrow the gap with the first of her two victories of the day. She won the 50 freestyle in 28.65, just ahead of Holy Spirit’s Andrea Williams. Emma Elmer was third for Mainland and Mittelman fifth, closing the margin to 32-30 in Spirit’s favor heading into the diving.

Mainland’s Amanda Mazzeo had a strong day, winning the diving with a score of 170 and earning a pair of sevens, the top score, on one of her dives, a forward one and a half.

“It was breathtaking. I never thought I’d actually get a seven,” Mazzeo said. “I thought maybe my senior year, next year, because I’m trying to work my way up. It was just an awesome feeling. I never felt anything like that.”

Mazzeo said her goals include making the state diving championships and being able to do more complicated dives with higher levels of difficulty. “I want to advance and be one of the better divers in Atlantic County.”

Holy Spirit’s Bridget Stearns and Myra McCann finished second and fourth, respectively, and Lady Mustangs Ally McClain and Courtney Lawler were third and fifth, putting Mainland back on top, 40-38.

Sydney Boswell won the 100 butterfly in 1:10.38 over second place finisher Kristina Wolf of Holy Spirit, and Boswell’s Mainland teammates Nancy Stevenson and Lauren O’Donnell added extra points by taking third and fifth.

Mainland sophomore Katie Adams put a little more cushion in the margin when she won the 100 freestyle over Spirit’s Andrea Williams in 1:02.05. Kelsea Kneisel and Michaela Tighe were fourth and fifth for Mainland. Bassford was second for Spirit.

With Mainland ahead 59-51, the Lady Spartans charged right back when Laura Morrison won the 400 freestyle in 4:46.07. Colleen Tighe was second for Mainland, but Desmond and Celia Morrison were third and fourth for Holy Spirit, closing the gap to 64-62.

Spirit tied the meet at 70-70 by winning the 200 freestyle relay (Thomas, Bassford, C. Morrison and Williams). Mainland took second and third. Emma Elmer, Jane Mittelman, Nancy Stevenson and Colleen Tighe were the legs in that second-place relay.

Mainland jumped back in front with a strong 1-2 finish in the 100 backstroke. Sydney Boswell won the backstroke in 1:09.58 and Erin Curry was right behind her in second place. Desmond was third for Holy Spirit and Casey Lashley was fourth for Mainland, which now led 82-74.

Thomas and Burrone went 1-2 for Holy Spirit in the 100 breaststroke. Thomas won in 1:17.81. Mainland’s Mittelman, Kneisel and Casey Sickler were 3-4-5, respectively, for Mainland.

Going into the final relay, it was Mainland 88, Holy Spirit 84. With 8 points for first place, 4 points for second place and 2 points for third, the Lady Mustangs needed to win at least second and third to secure the meet. Holy Spirit, however, took first and second and the Lady Spartans won 96-90 to stay undefeated at 4-0.

“It was really close,” said Mainland’s Katie Adams. “It came down to the end. It makes it more competitive. It’s a rivalry meet so it makes it more fun.”

Adams said she also likes the combined meets with the boys and girls alternating in the events. “You have the girls cheering for the boys and the boys cheering for the girls, especially as close as it was for both of us.”

“I knew I had tough races coming into the meet,” she added, “but I just set my head to it and pulled through.”

Although she won the 50 and 100 meter freestyle, Adams said she prefers the relays. She was part of the winning medley relay that opened the meet and took part in the 400 freestyle relay to end the meet.

“I like the relays, personally,” Adams said. “I feel like I do better in the relays because I know I need to do it for my girls, not just for myself.

Mainland got its first loss of the season and is 4-1 coming out of the winter break.

“We have to train hard over Christmas and get ready for Atlantic City, which will be a really difficult task on Jan. 6,” Rakowski said. The Lady Mustangs host the Lady Vikings at 4 p.m. Wednesday.