Girls swimming: Locals ready as PCL finals approach

CORONA DEL MAR - There may be six teams in the Pacific Coast

League, but when it comes to girls swimming, Corona del Mar High and

University are a notch above the rest of the competition in terms of team

depth.

That depth will be put to the test Friday for the PCL finals and after

what CdM Coach Doug Volding saw in Wednesday’s preliminaries, he’s

confident, but cautious.

“It’s going to be a very interesting meet, that’s for sure,” Volding

said. “I don’t want my girls to get overconfident, but if I had a choice,

I’d take my team over any other team out there.”

Eight Sea Kings qualified for the championship finals in two events,

including sophomores Brittany Bowlus, Christina Hewko and Nikki

Hendrickson.

Bowlus qualified for the 200-yard freestyle after clocking a

personal-best time of 2:05.71. She also reached the championship finals

in the 500-yard freestyle with a 5:48.37.

Hewko swam a personal-best 56.91 in the 100 free and placed fifth in

the 100 backstroke with a 1:06.49.

Hendrickson set a new personal top time in the 100 butterfly with a

1:04.18 and reached the finals in the 100 breaststroke (1:14.65).

“I was extremely pleased with how the entire team performed today,”

Volding said. “It’s going to be a nice battle on Friday.”

Kim McKay had the fastest time in the 500 free (5:20.09) and placed

third in the 200 individual medley (2:16.70).

Other double-qualifiers for the championship finals included Lauren

Powers (200 IM, 100 butterfly), Jackie McCoy (100 breaststroke, 50 free),

Heather Hapeman (100 breast, 100 back), and Vivian Liao (50 free, 100

free).

Costa Mesa’s Jody Martinovich cracked the final eight in the 200 IM

(2:19.86) and 500 free (5:38.00), while teammate Erin Bayes reached the

finals in the 50 free (25.87) and 50 free (55.65).

Mustang Wendy Martinovich will join the other finalists in the 100

breast after posting a qualifying time of 1:14.39.

Among the other CdM swimmers to qualify for Friday’s finals included

Hayley Sheetz (200 free), Jessica Fries (500 free), Jessica Harkins (100

back) and Katya Eadington (50 free).

Swimmers who qualified for the consolation finals include CdM’s Stacy

Edland (500 free), Natalie Waite (100 fly), Kristin McCoy (50 free and

100 free), Julie Mendelson (100 breast), Jessica Fries (200 IM), Kelli

Kline (200 IM), Tracy Kubas (200 free), Amy Stack (200 free), Eadington

(100 free) and Sheetz (100 fly), Costa Mesa’s Allison Gravis (100

breast), Francis Assal (200 IM and 100 fly), Shirley Peng (100 free and

50 free) and Sarah Douglas (100 back).

Estancia’s Somer Flaherty (200 IM), Lauren Collier (200 free and 100

free), Jennifer Cassity (100 free), Costa Mesa’s Ashley Wright (50 free),

Gena Paulhus (50 free), Gena Paulhus (1:24.28), Gravis (200 free) and

Douglas (200 IM) are alternates for Friday’s competition.