Boys swimming: CdM loses title to Trojans

Steve Virgen

NEWPORT BEACH - In a candid moment, Corona del Mar High boys swim

coach Tim Chaix extended his hand to congratulate a dripping Jon

Pendleton, University’s Coach. Truth be told, the battle for the Pacific

Coast League title was really between the two teams.

And it was Pendleton and his Trojans celebrating with a swim after

surviving the Sea Kings. University finished with 577 points to CdM’s

539, while third-place Laguna Beach had 315 Friday at the PCL finals in

Newport Harbor’s pool.

The Sea Kings, the defending PCL champs, actually led, 414-406, with

three events left, but the Trojans won titles in those events.

CdM, which hosted the meet, came away with four PCL titles. Junior

Matt Meyer won the 200-yard freestyle in 1:52.17, junior Sherwin Kim

touched first in the 100 free (48.03), sophomore James Strack took the

500 free (5:03.19) and, in perhaps the most exciting race of the meet,

Kim, Meyer, junior Michael March and junior Bobby Messenger won the 200

free relay.

“I’m very happy with the way they finished the meet,” Chaix said of

the Sea Kings’ comeback from the preliminaries. “Tuesday we were a little

shaky. They came today and swam well.”

Kim, defending his PCL title in the 200 individual medley, lost by

just .39 seconds to University’s Jason Berlin, who touched at 2:00.50 and

was awarded the Swimmer of the Meet as voted by the PCL coaches.

Costa Mesa’s Mike Whitman, who won the 100 breaststroke last year,

finished fourth (1:07.22) and CdM’s Marcello Pantuliano swam a

personal-best to finish second (1:04.88), while Messenger came in fourth

(59.13). Whitman also took third in the 100 butterfly (57.15).

Pantuliano finished fifth in the 200 IM (2:13.34) and Strack came in

sixth at 2:13.34 with teammate John Mann at eighth (2:21.72).

Estancia’s 200 relay team of Tai Thai, David Silva, David Teixeira and

Phil Westfall finished sixth in the 200 medley relay (2:00.49), while

Westfall also came in 11th in the 200 free (2:06.91) and 15th in the 100

fly (1:11.26).

The 200 free relay race provided high drama. Kim, Meyer, March and

Messenger swam their personal best splits which gave them the close-shave

victory over University. The Sea Kings finished in 1:13.97 and University

followed at 1:31.99.

“There was so much excitement,” Chaix said of the meet and of the

event. “As the meet went on, you could sense the (point differential) was

getting closer and closer.”

In the 200 free, CdM junior Brandon Powers finished second, three

seconds behind Meyer, while March came in at sixth and Kevin Amendt

followed in eighth. Costa Mesa junior Steven Thomas finished 15th.

Messenger finished third in the 50 free (23.18) and CdM sophomore John

Money came in sixth (23.99), while teammate Ryan Moore ended ninth

(24.20). CdM freshman Robert Fries took sixth in the 100 fly (1:00.65)

and Amendt followed at seventh (1:01.16).

CdM had three Sea Kings finish in the top eight in the 500 free, and

100 free. Meyer (third), March (fifth) and Powers (sixth) came in behind

Strack in the 500 free. Money (sixth) and Garrett Bowlus (seventh)

followed champion Kim in the 100 free.

Costa Mesa finished fifth at the meet and Estancia came in sixth.

The Sea Kings hosted the preliminaries Tuesday, but the pool’s pump

broke and the finals were moved to Newport Harbor.