PREP SWIMMING ROUNDUP : Mission Viejo Boys, Girls Win South Coast League Championships

Mission Viejo swept the boys’ and girls’ competition Friday at the South Coast League Swimming Championships at El Toro.

The Mission Viejo girls won with 465 points; El Toro was second with 437 points and Mater Dei third with 271 points. Mission Viejo’s boys finished with 510 points; El Toro was second with 425 points and Capistrano Valley third with 365 points.

The Diablo boys’ victory was expected. But the girls’ victory over defending South Coast League champion El Toro was a surprise, and was especially sweet for Mission Viejo, because the Chargers will be leaving the South Coast League to join the Sea View League next year.

“I know some people thought that they (the Chargers) would win again,� Mission Viejo senior Carriepaige Gammel said. “We were more motivated than they were. We had more spirit and we wanted it bad. I never thought we wouldn’t win.�

But at the beginning of the meet, it appeared El Toro again was on its way to another championship. The Chargers took first in the 200 individual medley relay in 1 minute 51.95 seconds, followed by Katie Lowes’ victory in the 200 freestyle (1:54.05). But as the clouds rolled in and the rain began, Mission Viejo started to catch up.

The race that exemplified the meet was the 100 breaststroke. While El Toro’s Katie Simmons out-touched Mission Viejo’s Gammel to win, the Diablos racked up points with four swimmers scoring points in that race.

“I think that the 100 breast was the key,� Mission Viejo Coach Mike Pelton said. “We have a lot of depth. And because a lot of our girls made it to the finals and placed, we were able to get points.�

That proved to be El Toro’s downfall. Though the Chargers were able to win five of eight individual events, Mission Viejo countered El Toro’s first-place points with second- and third-place finishes.

Before the final event, El Toro trailed by 25 points, and the only way it could take the title was to win the 400 freestyle relay and if Mission Viejo was disqualified.

But Mission Viejo won that event with Gammel, M.C. Vadman, Cheryl Murphy and Christina Rhee in 3:40.62. Murphy, who was the only first-place finisher for Mission Viejo, took first in the 100 back (56.62).

For the boys, however, there was never any doubt who would win. Behind Bart Sikora, the Diablos won all three relays. Sikora took first in the 500 freestyle (4:37.51) and 100 backstroke (52.26).

Sophomore Karl Hyross won the 200 IM (1:58.39).

“We hope to do well at CIF,� said Pelton, who noted many of Mission Viejo’s top boys and girls were not shaved. “I think the two best teams in Southern Section are right here in the water. We had some great meets in the past and I’ll miss them when they go to the Sea View League.�

In the Sea View League final:

Corona del Mar boys win--For the second straight year, Corona del Mar’s boys shocked a strong Woodbridge team, winning the team title by two points.

Corona del Mar took first with 450 points; Woodbridge finished second with 448 and Irvine had 416.5 for third.

“Our relays were the key,� Corona del Mar Coach Mike Starrweather said. “We beat the seventh-ranked team in the nation. I think that’s quite an accomplishment. These guys have a lot of heart.�

In boys’ events, senior Derya Buyukuncu, of Woodbridge, broke two of his meet records in the 50 (20.49) and 100 freestyle (45.01). He also anchored the winning 400 freestyle relay (3:13.16).

Irvine girls win--The Vaquero girls won their second straight championship, outscoring runner-up Santa Margarita, 501-351. Newport Harbor was third with 340 points.

Irvine’s Wendy O’Brien broke a 10-year-old meet record in the 50 freestyle in 24.13. The Irvine girls won all three relays, setting two meet records in the 200 (1:43.43) and the 400 (3:42.16) freestyle relays.

In the Century League final:

Villa Park girls win--Villa Park won its third consecutive league title with 396 points. Foothill finished second (340) and Canyon was third (287) followed by El Modena (260), Orange (247) and Santa Ana Valley (37).

Canyon’s Lisa Hess, El Modena’s Colleen Donald and Orange’s Shannon Strini were named Century League’s girls’ swimmers of the year. Each swimmer was a dual winners.

Hess won the 200 individual medley (2:10.77) and 100 butterfly (1:00.41). Donald won the 200 freestyle (1:55.77) and 500 freestyle (5:11.01), and Strini won the 50 freestyle (24.95) and 100 freestyle (55.75).

Villa Park boys win--Boys’ swimmer of the year, Matt Cornue of Villa Park, was a triple winner. The Spartans won with 436 points; Foothill was second (402); Canyon third (219); El Modena fourth (169); Orange fifth (142); and Santa Ana Valley sixth (99).

Cornue won the 200 freestyle (1:45.76), 500 freestyle (4:54.49) and was part of the winning 400 freestyle relay.

In the Freeway League final:

Sunny Hills boys win--Carlo Franzia of Sunny Hills was named swimmer of meet after winning the 200 freestyle (1:49.74) and 100 freestyle (49.28). Teammate Seann Schiele won the 200 individual medley (2:03.96) and 100 breaststroke (1:10.09).

The Lancers finished with 349 points; Buena Park 227; Sonora 226, La Habra 165; Troy 164; and Fullerton 131.

Sunny Hills girls win--The Lancers amassed 382 points, outdistancing second-place Sonora (258). Troy was third (231), La Habra fourth (153), Fullerton fifth (129) and Buena Park sixth (92).

Sonora broke the Freeway League record in the 200 freestyle relay with a time of 1:47.15; the previous record was 1:47.86.

Steffany Pearce of Sonora was named swimmer of the meet, winning the 200 individual medley (2:16.24) and 100 butterfly (1:02.34). Lisa Liu of Sunny Hills won the 50 freestyle (26.18) and 100 breaststroke (1:04.18). Teammate Mandi Dobbs won the 200 freestyle (2:02.11) and 500 freestyle (5:28.95).