Living without aces

Bryce Alderton

In a show of sportsmanship and camraderie injected with humor, a few

members of Newport Harbor High’s boys swim team joked with San

Clemente’s winning relay team at the end of a nonleague dual meet

Friday at Harbor.

A Newport swimmer commented, “Guys that finish 1-2 get to clean up.” A San Clemente swimmer smiled in response.

San Clemente finished near the top in many events Friday, with the

boys netting a 109-61 margin over Newport, while the girls gained a

126-43 edge.

Both Newport teams were handicapped somewhat. Seniors Hayley

Peirsol, Nicole Mackey, and Mai Tajima on the girls team and Andrew

Cole on the boys, are swimming this weekend at an event in Canada and

missed the meet Friday.

Peirsol finished second in the 500 free at last season’s CIF

Southern Section Division I finals. Mackey broke school records in

taking second in both the 200 IM and 100 fly in the finals. Cole went

undefeated in the 100 free and won CIF last season.

“It’s a learning experience,” quipped Newport girls coach Ken

LaMont.

On the boys side, senior Jay Thompson won the 200-yard IM in

2:10.00, while finishing second in the 100 breaststroke (1:05.25) to

gain CIF. Thompson also took third place in the 100 backstroke

(1:04.97).

“My back and free have been lacking so those are the strokes I’m

working on,” said Thompson after his 200 IM swim. “The breast is my

strong swim, so I tried to go out and get a big lead.”

“Those were solid swims,” said Newport Coach Jason Lynch about

Thompson. “He’s definitely an asset.”

Lynch also praised the work of seniors Ross Sinclair and Brent

Armstrong. Armstrong came in second in the 200 free (1:52.83) while

Sinclair took the same standing in the 500 free (5:07.61). Junior

Michael Bury finished second in the 100 fly (59.34).

Newport’s 200 medley relay team of Armstrong, Thompson, Kyle

Sherman and Sean McGhie gained an automatic CIF berth with a 1:28.60.

“I’m a little sore,” said Sinclair after the 500 free. “I’m still

out of shape, but I got a good warm up and swam pretty well. It’s the

first meet, so I think I can do better.”

Lynch said San Clemente is probably the best Division I dual meet

team right now, so he had added incentive for Friday’s meet.

“The key is to get excited about (swimming), to get motivated

which helps in training,” Lynch said.

Senior Jenna Murphy gained CIF consideration for the 2:17.45

clocking in the 200 IM, good enough for second.

“That was probably our highlight,” said LaMont of Murphy’s time.

San Clemente’s Kaby Skora notched automatic CIF qualifying times

in two races she won, the 200 free (1:58) and 500 free (5:15.66),

while brother Andy Skora gained automatic qualification in the 500

free (4:50.95) and consideration in the 200 free (1:47.97).

“Without their stars, I thought we would be OK,” said San Clemente

girls coach John Bandaruk. “We had automatic qualifying times on two

relays so I’m happy about that.”

Harbor’s relay team of Murphy, Annie Wight, Ashley Parole and

Peggy Beebe finished third in the 200 medley (2:00.90) to gain CIF

consideration.