Palisades’ Swim Teams Facing Area Challenge

The Birmingham High boys’ and Granada Hills girls’ swimming and diving teams will attempt to dethrone defending City Section champion Palisades in the City championships at 5 p.m today at the Belmont Plaza pool in Long Beach.

Birmingham, which finished second in the boys’ team title competition last year, clocked the fastest preliminary times in the 400-yard relay and the 200 medley relay. Joshua Pepper of Birmingham had the fastest preliminary time in the 100 butterfly and the second fastest in the 200 individual medley. Chris Costales was the second-fastest qualifier in the 200 freestyle and the third fastest in the 100 backstroke.

Aaron Robinson of El Camino Real was the top qualifier in the 200 freestyle and the second fastest in the 500 freestyle.

Gretchen Ballard, also of Birmingham, swam the fastest qualifying times in the girls’ 50 and 100 freestyles. Rebecca Balis of El Camino Real was the second-fastest 500 freestyle qualifier. Spring Langford of North Hollywood will compete in the 100 breaststroke and Kristen Kemmer of Chatsworth in the 100 backstroke.

The Granada Hills girls’ team, which finished third in the team competition last year, has the top qualifying times in the 200 medley relay and 400 freestyle relay. Kristine Quance joins her sisters Keri and Julie in both relays and will swim in the 200 individual medley and 100 breaststroke. Keri also will compete in the 100 breaststroke and Julie in the 200 freestyle. The fourth member of the Highlander relay squad, Erin Shaw, will compete in the 100 butterfly and the 200 individual medley.

The top two divers in both the boys’ and girls’ preliminaries are from Birmingham. Dov Zimring and Neil Ferraro led the boys’ qualifiers and Janelle Speriglio and Shelly Cohen led the girls.