Arizona High School: Brophy/Xavier Win Own Invite; Goodrich Breaks Gary Hall, Jr. Meet Mark

By Richard Obert
The Arizona Republic

PHOENIX, October 5. GLENDALE Mountain Ridge High School senior Scott Goodrich had a 3 1/2-hour workout Friday and still had enough energy Saturday to break Gary Hall Jr.'s Brophy/Xavier Invitational meet record in the 50-yard freestyle.

Goodrich got a great start and sprinted to the wall in 21.15 seconds, eclipsing the 21.18 Hall swam in 1992 for Brophy.

"That's cool," Goodrich said. "I was excited. It was my first big invitational. I hadn't been in a big meet in two months."

Goodrich also broke the meet record in the 100 backstroke, his best event, with a time of 51.46. The record had been 52.38, set two years ago by Brophy's Colin Gaffney.

"It shows how much potential he has," Mountain Ridge coach Mike Ulrich said. "He's not shaved. He's not tapered. He's not rested. He's swimming the type of times when you're rested."

Brophy (491 points) and Xavier (521 1/2) easily won the boys and girls team titles. North (204) was second and Desert Vista (199) third in boys. In girls, Scottsdale Chaparral (249) was second and Desert Vista (199) third.

Brophy had double winners in senior Jon Ehret (100 butterfly and 100 freestyle) and junior David Pursley (200 and 500 freestyle).

Pursley, son of former U.S. National Team Director dennis Pursley, set a meet record in the 200 at one minute, 42.99 seconds. That was nearly 10 seconds off his seed time. It was the first time the 500 was contested at the invitational, so Pursley now holds the record in that event at 4:47.99. Brophy coach Bill Kopas said he believes that's the best 500 time in the state this season.

Pursley said his 200 freestyle time was a personal record but not in the 500.

"I was trying to get it (in the 200)," said Pursley, whose mark gives him All-America consideration.

Brophy won two of the three relays, falling to North in the 400 freestyle relay. It was the second time Brophy's 400 relay team lost to North in two weeks. North swam it Saturday in 3:16.

"That's a great swim," Kopas said. "I think we can do it (at state). We had three guys in drag suits."

Scottsdale Chaparral junior Lauren Cox won the 100 and 200 freestyles, and Xavier's Tiffany Elias won the 100 butterfly and 500 freestyle.

Xavier also had individual champions in the 200 individual medley (Cydney Siggins), 50 freestyle (Lisa Marchi) and 100 backstroke (Krisen Miernicki).

Xavier freshman Mychala Lynch finished second in both the 100 butterfly and 50 freestyle. Xavier senior Liz Magura was second in the 100 breaststroke.

Xavier won the girls 200 and 400 relays and the 200 medley relay.

Xavier coach Jeff Seaquist said he was impressed with his team's efforts.

"We moved up two places (in races)," said Seaquist, who believes his team could contend for the mythical national title that is broken down at season's end based on times throughout the country.

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