Girls swimming: Sailors win as Geehr returns

Richard Dunn

NEWPORT BEACH - It was the final Sea View League girls swim

dual-meet of the season for Newport Harbor High, but for senior standout

and Stanford-bound Carly Geehr, it was the beginning of a new era.

Geehr, making her season debut following surgery on her right shoulder

in July, remembered the drill Wednesday as she swam the 100-yard

breaststroke and the breaststroke leg of the Sailors’ winning 200 medley

relay team.

“That’s probably one of our more significant swims,” Newport Harbor

Coach Ken Lamont said, following the host Sailors’ 89-81 Sea View win

over Woodbridge.

Geehr, a highly decorated swimmer who competes in national events, had

been a multi-event standout for Newport Harbor for three years, before

recurring shoulder problems shut down her progress last summer.

Despite new pain in her left shoulder, which has limited her training,

Geehr suited up for the first time since last year and finished out of

the top three in 1:11.46.

“That’s terrible,” Geehr said of her time. “I haven’t gone that slow

since I was about 11.”

Geehr, whose competitive future is still uncertain because of shoulder

problems, signed with Stanford in November. But classmates and friends

asked her before Wednesday’s meet if she was nervous making her season

debut.

She told them no. “I’ve done this enough,” she said.

Still, with her Newport Harbor teammates gearing up for CIF

competition and the league finals, Geehr wanted to let them know that

she’s part of them.

“By no means am I ready to compete, but I’m a senior and a captain and

I feel that I need to be with the team,” Geehr said.

The Sailors (3-1 in league) opened fast with junior Mai Tajima in the

200 medley relay, followed by Geehr, junior Nicole Mackey and junior

Hayley Peirsol, who combined for a winning 1:55.29.

Peirsol won the next two events -- the 200 freestyle (1:56.29) and 200 individual medley (2:12.99) -- while Mackey gave the Tars a sizable lead

with victories in the 100 butterfly (58.32) and 100 free (53.75).

Mackey swam the 100 free for the first time this year. “That’s a great

time for her,” Lamont said.

Tajima enjoyed an outstanding meet with wins in the 100 backstroke

(1:03.56) and 100 breast (1:06.24), while taking second in the 200 free

(2:00.03). Anne Belden was third in the back (1:06.36) and breast

(1:09.0).

Carolyn Conway was second in the 500 free for Harbor in 5:42.79.

Other third-place finishers for Newport Harbor included Jenna Murphy

in the 200 IM (2:21.73), Ashley Parole in the 50 free (26.88) and 100

free (56.66) and Paige Lansing in the 500 free (5:43.24).

The Sailors face Edison in a nonleague dual meet next Wednesday.