Kohne Joins Elite With Four-for-Four Finish

Natasha Kohne of Rancho Alamitos High became the first swimmer in the CIF Southern Section 2-A Division and the fifth girl ever to win a championship event all four years Saturday at Belmont Plaza.

Khone won the 200-yard individual medley to join some elite company.

Only four other girls have ever won an event at the finals all four years: Janet Evans of El Dorado in the 3-A 500 freestyle, Christy Carolin of Capistrano Valley in the 4-A 50 freestyle, Shannon Orcutt of Capistrano Valley in the 4-A 100 breaststroke and Jill Sterkel of Hacienda Heights Wilson in the 4-A 100 freestyle.

“I had no idea there were so few,” Khone said. “I really wasn’t expecting much this time because I took time off from swimming this year. I had been swimming nonstop for 13 years and it was time to take break.”

Walnut High won the both the girls’ and boys’ team 2-A titles for the second consecutive year. Walnut won the boys’ division by winning the final event.

In the girls’ 2-A division, Ali Ladeda won the first two swimming titles ever for Capistrano Valley Christian, which does not have a swim team. Ladeda participated as an unattached swimmer in six dual meets to qualify for the Section finals. He won the 200 freestyle (1:50.76) and the 100 butterfly (58.50).

In Division 3-A, Santa Monica repeated as boys’ champion by beating Peninsula, 193-181, and Brea-Olinda edged Long Beach Wilson, 126-116, to win the girls’ title.

Meredith Booker of Beverly Hills set a national high school record 55.56 in the 100 backstroke.