DEEP FINISH FOR HART GIRLS' TEAM WINS SHARE OF SWIM TITLE.

Byline: Erik Boal Special to the Daily News

SANTA CLARITA - Valencia High has its best girls' swim team in program history. The Vikings were coming off a nine-point victory over rival Hart in Friday's Santa Clarita Relays.

And Hart was competing without one of its top swimmers, sophomore Molly Rogers, who is sidelined while preparing for surgery Saturday.

It appeared as if the deck might have been stacked against the Indians in Wednesday's Foothill League showdown at the Santa Clarita Aquatic Center, but Hart again demonstrated why they've won at least a share of 21 of the past 22 league titles: depth.

Valencia won six of 11 events, but Hart - ranked third by the Daily News - relied on a number of critical second-, third- and fourth-place finishes to post a 91-79 victory over the No. 5 Vikings, clinching at least a share of the league's regular-season dual-meet title.

``Even if we don't have all of our people, we can still do well because we have a lot of depth,'' said Hart freshman Rachael Krager, who led a critical 1-2-3 sweep for Hart in the 100-yard butterfly. ``You could sense it in (the seniors') voices they wanted this. That's why we all had to go out and do such a good job.''

Hart's boys' team made its job look all too easy with a 111-59 victory. The Indians won nine events, placing first and second in five races.

``We definitely have a lot of guys who can (compete in different events),'' said Hart's Andrew Evans, who won the 50 freestyle in 22.91 seconds. ``Both teams share locker rooms, so we knew this going to be a big meet.''

The meet was hyped as the biggest of the season for the girls' teams. But Hart (6-0, 4-0) rebounded from an early four-point deficit to lead by as many as 18 with two events remaining.

``We're always ready for the challenge,'' said Hart senior Hayley Calams, who won the 50 freestyle (25.66) and took second to Valencia's only double winner, Michelle Kroll, in the 100 freestyle. ``The more competition there is, the more we have to put our heart into it.''

Krager began to shift the momentum in Hart's favor in the 200 individual medley, rallying in the final 10 yards to win in 2:13.43, 23 hundredths of a second faster than Valencia's Stephanie Henderson. She then led the sweep in the butterfly, winning in 1:01.21.

Katie Oakey's victory in the 100 backstroke (1:05.49) increased Hart's lead to 79-61, which was enough to overcome a 1-2 finish by sisters Stephanie and Jasmine Henderson in the 100 breaststroke and a Valencia triumph in the 400 freestyle relay (3:46.42).

``We made the decision Friday we were going to focus all our energy on (league finals),'' said Valencia coach Kathleen Perdisatt, whose team dropped to 8-1 and 3-1 in league competition. ``For our confidence, to win this meet would have been great. But at league finals, they'll be tapered and ready to go.''

Judging by its performance Wednesday, the Hart boys' team seems to be counting down the days to the May 5 league championship meet.

Goran Bistric, Matt Gannon, Sean Gucciardi and Daniel Hofstedt won events for Hart (6-1, 4-0), which swept all three relays. John Pedrini won the 100 breaststroke (1:01.3) and 500 freestyle (5:11.7) for Valencia (6-3, 3-1).

Erik Boal, [phone]

erik.boal(at)dailynews.com

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Hart High freshman Rachael Krager is on her way to leading the girls' team to a 1-2-3 sweep in the 100-yard butterfly during the Indians' 91-79 victory over Valencia High on Wednesday at the Santa Clarita Aquatic Center. The Hart boys' team also won 111-59.

John Lazar/Staff Photographer