Girls swimming: Bayes shines at PCL finals

Steve Virgen

NEWPORT BEACH - For Costa Mesa High’s Erin Bayes, Friday was all

about going out on top. The Mustangs’ senior used the Pacific Coast

League girls swimming finals to display a memorable farewell that capped

a brilliant two-year dominance in the 50-yard freestyle.

Bayes, who has dropped just one PCL loss in the 50 free in two years,

defended her title in dramatic fashion at Newport Harbor High’s pool. She

set a meet record with a 25.05 swim, .23 seconds faster than the previous

best and just .01 better than Northwood’s Emily Cobb.

The University Trojans won the meet and the PCL title with 536.5

points, ahead of second-place Corona del Mar with 499.5 and 500-free

champion freshman Kim McKay (5:19.06), who contributed in the top 200

free relay with senior Lauren Powers, junior Heather Hapeman and freshman

Vivian Liao.

“I wanted to get that fourth patch for CIF,” Bayes said after her

record-breaking swim. “It was awesome to win the league title, being the

defending champion. There were so many fast girls in that race.”

Bayes, who will study to be a teacher at the University of San Diego,

finished second in the 100 free (54.38), coming in behind University’s

Jessica Hayes. Hayes completed an All-American consideration time, 51.40,

and was crowned Swimmer of the Meet as she also won the 200 free with an

automatic All-American finish in 1:51.45.

Corona won the dual meet season, edging University, 86.5-83.5, in a

matchup that was decided by the final event on April 11.

Sea Kings’ Coach Doug Volding still took pride in his team’s effort on

Friday.

“The girls did what they were asked to do,” Volding said. “I’ll still

take my team over any out there. We did our best. I wouldn’t trade

anything for these girls.”

CdM sophomore Brittney Bowlus (200 free), Hapeman (100 free),

sophomore Niki Hendrickson (200 individual medley and 100 fly), sophomore

Christina Hewko (50 free and 100 free), sophomore Jackie McCoy (100

breaststroke), McKay (200 IM and 500 free) and Powers (50 free and 100

fly) qualified for CIF in their respective events and will compete in the

Southern Section Division II preliminaries Thursday at Belmont Plaza.

Costa Mesa senior Jody Martinovich finished fifth in the 200 IM

(2:16.56), breaking the school record previously held by her sister,

Wendy. Jody Martinovich qualified for CIF with her finish, but she says

she has an AP Calculus test at her high school on the same morning of the

preliminaries. She said she will try to take her test later in the day.

She won last year’s 500 free and finished second on Friday in 5:31.99.

Estancia’s day featured time improvements as senior Jennifer Cassity

was the only girl who advanced to the championship finals. She finished

eighth in the 50 free (27.37).

“We’re not worried about where we place,” Eagles Coach Bob Bandaruk

said. “Right now, it’s all about improving.”

Estancia’s 200 medley real team of Cassity, Somer Flaherty, Ashley

Gardner and Lauren Collier finished with a personal best 2:17.78 for

sixth place, knocking six seconds off their previous best.

Powers, Hapeman, Liao and McKay qualified for CIF in the 400 free

relay (3:47.30). Costa Mesa finished fifth at the meet and Estancia fell

behind the Mustangs.

The preliminaries were at CdM Wednesday, but after the pool’s pump

broke, the finals were moved to Newport Harbor.