Dialog reporter
WILMINGTON – Padua fell behind after one event, but the Pandas rebounded nicely for a 114-56 win over Delaware Military Academy in girls swimming on Dec. 20 at Charter School of Wilmington. With the win, Padua improved to 3-0, while DMA suffered its first loss after two wins.
The Pandas’ two seniors, Emily Pfeifer and Emily Stuebing, each won two individual events and were part of two winning relay teams. Pfeifer got Padua started, winning the 200-yard freestyle after the Seahawks opened the meet with a victory in the 200 medley relay.
Stuebing followed Pfeifer with her first win, in the 200 individual medley. DMA’s Kelly Blake helped close the gap by winning the next two events, the 50 free and 100 butterfly, but Padua would win the remaining six events.
Emily Stuebing took the 100 free, with her sister, Allison, coming in second, and the Pandas swept the 500 free, won by freshman Madelynne Samuels, to help put the meet out of reach.
The teams of Pfeifer, Lauren Mottel and the Stuebing sisters won both the 200 and 400 free relays, and Mottel took the 100 backstroke. Pfeifer’s second individual win came in the 100 breastroke.
It was an emotional return to the pool for Delaware Military. The Seahawks were swimming for the first time since the death of senior Gabriela Migdalski, a parishioner at St. Hedwig in Wilmington and a former member of the swim and track teams. Each of the Seahawks had “Swim4Gab” written on their left shoulders.
Padua is back in the pool on Jan. 5 against St. Elizabeth at 8 p.m. at the Fraim Boys and Girls Club in Wilmington. DMA swims against Caravel on Jan. 3 at 3:30 p.m. at the Route 40 Boys and Girls Club.
