Boys swimming: Sailors swim for Coach K

Steve Virgen

IRVINE - This is the last Sea View League boys swimming

preliminaries and finals for Newport Harbor High Coach Brian Kreutzkamp.

He accepted the men’s water polo head coaching position at Golden West

College last week. Though he says the mood hasn’t changed in practices,

Olympic silver medalist Aaron Peirsol had a different message Thursday,

during the preliminaries at Heritage Park.

“We want to make this year special for him,” said Peirsol, who will be

seeded first in Friday’s 200-yard individual medley (2:04.47) and the 100

butterfly (52.81) finals. “We want him to go out on a high note.”

Said Kreutzkamp, “That’s nice, but swimming is a big-time individual

sport. I would like for them to do it for them. It’s not important what

they do for me.”

Kreutzkamp certainly received some steady swims from junior Ryan Lean

(200 freestyle and 500 free), sophomore Andrew Cole (100 free and 100 backstroke), sophomore Nathan Weiner (200 free), sophomore Brent

Armstrong (200 IM and 100 free), senior Peter Belden (50 free and 100

free), senior Joey Snelgrove (50 free), senior Steven Jendrusina (50

free), and sophomore Ross Sinclair (100 free). They all finished in the

top eight and advanced to Friday’s championship finals.

Kreutzkamp said his swimmers did not shave for the meet and Peirsol,

Lean and Cole will not shave the rest of the way, even in CIF Southern

Section competition. Five Newport seniors, and those who have not

qualified for CIF yet, will take to the blade for Friday’s finals.

Lean, who said he received motivation from Irvine High Coach Ken

Dory’s comments at a dual meet against the Sailors March 21, completed an

Orange County-best 4:35.04 in the 500 free, just .01 seconds from tying

the Sea View record. He also qualified first in the 200 free (1:49.65).

“I thought about (Dory’s comments) before that swim in the 500

(free),” Lean said. “I thought it would be nice if we could beat Irvine.”

Dory spoke out against the Sailors after his Vaqueros won the dual

meet. He said he had a “problem” with Newport’s swimmers who were absent

(Peirsol, Lean and five seniors), and he thought it was “ridiculous.”

Dory also said of Newport Harbor, “that’s not a program I would want to

run.”

In response, Kreutzkamp declined to comment, but he said Irvine should

have no problem winning the Sea View title and that the Vaqueros should

also win the CIF Southern Section Division I title.

Peirsol, however, thinks otherwise.

“We’re capable (of finishing ahead of Irvine),” the junior said.

“We’re doing pretty well right now. You can’t count us out. Irvine is

going to be tough.”

If the Sailors have a chance of winning the Sea View title, it could

be because of the development of Cole and Belden. Cole’s improvement in

the 100 back has allowed Peirsol, who will swim in the event at CIF

prelims, to earn points in other events. Cole qualified first in the 100

free (49.03) and second in the 100 back (53.87).

“Cole is coming on strong,” Kreutzkamp said. “I think he’s going to

surprise some people in CIF.”

Belden, who is bound for UCLA on a water polo scholarship, has shown

improvement after taking some time off with fellow senior water polo

teammates Ryan Cook, Jendrusina, Snelgrove and Shaun Johnson. Kreutzkamp

expects Belden’s improvement to continue Friday and in the CIF prelims

and finals. Belden said he is happy for his coach’s new job and for the

impact he had in his life.

“I came in as a freshman and he put me on varsity right away,” Belden

said. “He helped me so much. He told me to stand up to the bigger guys.

He really gave me the courage to step up.”

Sailors Jonathan Huang (200 free), Brad Dillman (200 IM), Cook (50

free and 100 free) and Johnson (100 back and 100 breaststroke) will swim

in the consolation finals Friday, for swimmers who qualified ninth

through 16th.

The relays are slated for Friday and Newport Harbor’s CIF 200 free

relay of Belden, Snelgrove, Jendrusina and Peirsol will look to defend

their title in the Sea View as well. Cole, Lean, Belden and Peirsol will

swim the 400 free relay. The 200 medley relay is undecided, Kreutzkamp

said.