Boys swimming: Tars overpower Woodbridge, 117-50

Richard Dunn

NEWPORT BEACH - Even with three of their top swimmers missing, the

Newport Harbor High boys swim team finished 1-2-3 in five of the eight

individual events Wednesday, while dominating the relays in a 117-50 Sea

View League dual-meet victory over Woodbridge.

The host Sailors, with seniors Aaron Peirsol and Ryan Lean and junior

Andrew Cole granted permission to pursue other endeavors Wednesday

afternoon by Coach Jason Lynch, swam off events and enjoyed an easy

victory.

Lynch was so confident against Woodbridge, he held a team practice

early Wednesday morning and again before the meet in the afternoon.

“We haven’t been working out that much because we’ve been having so

many meets,” said Lynch, whose team defeated Laguna Hills April 10,

competed in the CIF Relays preliminaries last Thursday, lost to Irvine in

Sea View makeup meet Friday and swam again Monday in the finals of the

CIF Relays at Belmont Plaza Olympic Pool.

The Sailors (3-1 in league) will also compete Saturday in the Foothill

Invitational. “That’s a lot of meets in two weeks,” Lynch said.

Filling in for the aforementioned standouts included sophomore Sean

McGhie and freshman Michael Robinson.

“(Peirsol) wasn’t going to swim no matter what,” Lynch said of the

current three-time world-record holder and 2000 Olympic silver medalist

in the 200 backstroke. “Lean wanted to work out (with his club team, the

Irvine Novaquatics) and Cole is in the school play (“Guys and Dolls”) and

has rehearsal.”

McGhie, competing in his first varsity meet, won the 50-yard freestyle

in 23.41, one of the few events Newport Harbor did not sweep. McGhie was

also third in the 100 free (55.63), a lifetime-best clocking. “He’s

pretty excited to be swimming varsity,” Lynch said.

Andrew Belden had a big meet for Newport Harbor, winning the 200

individual medley (2:14.39), taking third in the 100 back (1:06.47) and

participating on two winning relays.

The Sailors’ Brent Armstrong was first in the 200 free (1:57.73) and

second in the 500 free (5:41.05), while teammate Nathan Weiner captured

100 butterfly, an off event, with a personal-best 1:01.63, and finished

third in the 200 free with a season-best time (2:01.08).

Bryan Auer won the 100 free (51.87), placed second in the 200 free

(2:00.77) and started off winning 200 and 400 free relays.

In the 500 free, Newport’s Michael Bury was first in 5:31.95,

finishing ahead of teammates Armstrong and Charlie Hockenberry (5:46.33).

Harbor’s Tim Roach won the 100 back (1:05.91), was the runner-up in

the 100 butterfly (1:03.01) and swam on two winning relays.

Robinson anchored the Tars’ winning 400 free relay (3:44.17) and swam

the second leg on the first-place 200 free relay (1:35.29), while Brad

Dillman and Ross Sinclair helped on the relays. Robinson was also second

in the 200 IM (2:26.55) and Sinclair third in the 100 fly (1:03.01).

Jay Thompson was second in the 100 back (1:06.12) for Harbor, which

faces Edison next Wednesday in a nonleague dual meet.