Girls swimming: The spoils of success

Joseph Boo

CORONA DEL MAR - Corona del Mar High’s girls basketball team

underwent a complete turnaround this year from a last-place team to

Pacific Coast League champion. The Sea Kings’ girls soccer team is in the

semifinals. And in its first playoff appearance ever, CdM’s girls water

polo team advanced to the CIF Southern Section Division IV finals after

going in as a wild card team. These are happy times for CdM’s winter

sports, and Sea Kings’ girls swim team coach Doug Volding is smiling.

He’s happy despite the fact that all this winning will keep him from

fielding a full team until right before the swim season starts. But if

Volding has things go his way, he would not have a team in time for the

first meet. His swimmers would be winning championships elsewhere.

“I’ve never been in this situation before,” he said. “It’s really unique.

I’m happy for all of them.”

When the girls eventually come around to swimming, they’ll give Volding a

deep squad. He is also hoping they bring a winning attitude to a CdM team

which finished fourth in the Sea View League last year.

Volding says junior Lauren Powers is CdM’s most valuable swimmer. In the

100-meter butterfly, she finished third in the Sea View League last year.

She was also fifth in league in the 50 freestyle with a personal best of

1:00.43.

All but one member of the varsity girls water polo team will join the

swim team. They include senior Melinda Tucker, who finished 12th at the

CIF meet in the 100 butterfly. Volding also considers her the team’s top

backstroker.

Other varsity water polo players include senior Hayley Hapeman, who will

swim breaststroke and freestyle events. Her sister, sophomore Heather

Hapeman, can swim all strokes. Senior Ellen Orbe is strong in butterfly,

and senior Molly Strack will swim butterfly and freestyle. Lindsey Daley

and Malia Tarayao could also help the varsity team.

“I know (girls water polo Coach John) Vargas worked his girls hard,”

Volding said, “so I know they’ll be in shape. I heard there’s a lot of

great new players who could help us.”

Danielle Carlson, Christina Hewko and Daniela DiGiacomo are three

freshmen who started on the varsity water polo team and can help

immediately. Sophomore speedster Lauren Guthrie will swim freestyle

sprints and sophomore Jessica Fries is a jack-of-all-trades, capable of

all four strokes.

Five other freshmen who can contribute are Michelle Belli, Brittney

Bowlus, Jessica Harkins, Nikola Hendrickson and Kelli Kline.

Senior Jessica Luchesi, who is on CdM’s soccer team, is the top butterfly

swimmer for the Sea Kings. Another soccer playing swimmer is freshman

Alivia Mazura.

Experienced seniors include volleyball standout Dimitra Havriluk, who

will swim freestyle and breastroke, freestyle sprinters Nichole Ahmadi

and Janae Bousema, butterfly swimmer Jennifer Belli and Catherine

Stockstill, who will swim breastroke and freestyle races.

Finally, the McCoy sisters, Kristin and Jackie, join the team fresh off

basketball season. Junior Kristin McCoy is a strong in freestyle events.

While Volding has yet to see freshman Jackie McCoy, he is aware of her

endeavors in basketball and golf.

“I hear she’s a great athlete,” he said.

Swimmers who could see time on the varsity level include Stephanie

Arnett, Danielle Azzalino, Kathryn Cole, Kari Hammerschmitt, Bridgett

Inglis, Lauren Jones, Julie Mendelson, Alexa Miller, Hayley Sheetz,

Astrid Soto, Alexis Tilsen and Yvette Zaharson.

Roster

Nichole Ahmadi Sr.

Stephanie Arnett Fr.

Danielle Azzalino So.

Jennifer Belli Sr.

Michelle Belli Fr.

Janae Bousema Sr.

Brittney Bowlus Fr.

Danielle Carlson Fr.

Kathryn Cole So.

Lindsey Daley Jr.

Daniela DiGiacomo Fr.

Jessica Fries So.

Lauren Guthrie So.

Kari Hammerschmitt Jr.

Hayley Hapeman Sr.

Heather Hapeman So.

Jessica Harkins Fr.

Dimitra Havriluk Sr.

Nikola Hendrickson Fr.

Christina Hewko Fr.

Bridgett Inglis Jr.

Lauren Jones Jr.

Kelli Kline Fr.

Jessica Luchesi Sr.

Alivia Mazura Fr.

Jackie McCoy Fr.

Kristin McCoy Jr.

Alexa Miller So.

Ellen Orbe Sr.

Lauren Powers Jr.

Hayley Sheetz So.

Astrid Soto So.

Catherine Stockstill Sr.

Molly Strack Sr.

Malia Tarayao Jr.

Alexis Tilsen So.

Melinda Tucker Sr.

Yvette Zaharson So.