ALL AREA GIRLS SWIMMING: Glendora’s Catherine Sanchez and coach Janet Mobley-Pollard earn top awards


ALL AREA GIRLS SWIMMING
Swimmer of the year
Catherine Sanchez, Glendora, Junior

Sanchez was the anchor on a Tartans team that won the Palomares league title and finished second at the CIF-Southern Section Division 2 swim finals.
Sanchez earned team MVP honors and was the Tartans’ highest point earner in the Division 2 finals by competing in four events.
Sanchez’s best performance came in the 100 butterfly, just missing out on a title by finishing second in 54.56. Earlier in the day, Sanchez had earned a third-place medal in the 200 freestyle with a quick race in 1:50.04.
Sanchez picked up two more medals in relays. She was part of Glendora’s second-place team in the 200 freestyle relay in 1:36.92, and on the Tartans’ third-place team in the 400 freestyle relay that finished in 3:31.43.
For her efforts, Sanchez has been selected the San Gabriel Valley Tribune girls swimmer of the year.
“She has always been dedicated, hard working and motivated, both in swim and academics,” Glendora coach Janet Mobley-Pollard said. “She has always been fast too, so it’s nice to see her hard working paying off.”
Sanchez’s big day the Division 2 finals was the result of a solid year all the way around, and for an individual sport, she made sacrifices that benefited the team.
“She’s a team player,” Mobley-Pollard said., “She was willing to swim wherever I needed her to score points for the team, even though some of those events weren’t necessarily her best events. She’s a leader.”

Coach of the year
Janet Mobley-Pollard, Glendora

The area’s winningest active swim coach led the Palomares league girls swimming champions to a second-place finish at the CIF-Southern Section Division 2 finals, earning Mobley-Pollard her fifth Tribune girls coach of the year award.
pollardMobley-Pollard was hoping to lead the Tartans to back-to-back championships having won the Division 2 title last year while also earning Division 2 and area coach of the year honors. But her teams always at or near the top and that was true in 2015.
Crean Lutheran won the Division 2 title with 319.50 points with Glendora in second with 296 points.
“I am very proud of these girls,” Mobley-Pollard said. “Their success this year in winning both of the Mt. SAC invitationals as well as another league championship was very exciting. A second place finish at CIF was nothing to be disappointed about. Coming within just 20- points behind Crean Lutheran was quite an accomplishment.”
Mobley-Pollard has been on an impressive run during her tenure. She’s been part of 16 league championships, two CIF titles (2011, 2012) and three runner-ups (2005, 2010, 2015).
Needless to say, expect more of the same from the Tartans’ team next season.
“We will have a strong team returning,” Mobley-Pollard said. “None of our (top) point earner will be graduating and the girls are more determined than ever to return next year to take on the challenge for a CIF title.

First Team
Gisel Olvera, Glendora, Sophomore
Kathleen Gani, Diamond Bar, Sophomore
Katie Sulkevich, Glendora, Freshman
Alexis Margaret, Glendora, Sophomore
Jackie Basham, Glendora, Freshman
Theresa Lo, Walnut, Senior
Emily Honng, Walnut, Sophomore
Samantha Liu, Los Altos, Senior
Sarah Le, Walnut, Senior
Allison Nguyen, Rowland, Junior

Final Top Ten
1. Glendora
2. Walnut
3. Rowland
4. Diamond Bar
5. San Dimas
6. Los Altos
7. Bonita
8. Covina
9. Bishop Amat
10. La Puente

League champions
Valle Vista: Rowland
Palomares: Glendora
Hacienda: Walnut
Miramonte: La Puente

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