Sea Kings win league

Bryce Alderton

When pushed to the brink, the Corona del Mar High girls swim

delivered.

The Sea Kings saved their best for last at the girls Pacific Coast

League finals Friday in their home pool, kicking with their legs,

swinging with their arms, winning their first league title since

1994.

Senior Brittany Bowlus anchored the final leg of the winning

400-yard freestyle relay, swimming a 52.71 split, better than

University’s Sara Fitzsimmons (52.80) and the Sea Kings defeated

nemesis University, 558-550. Joining Bowlus on the winning relay team

were Jordan Anae, Kim McKay and Alexandra Shue, who all helped gain a

3:37.30, good enough for automatic qualification into next Friday’s

CIF Southern Section Division II preliminaries at Mt. San Antonio

College at noon while also earning All-American consideration. The

Trojans came into Friday’s finals undefeated (3-0-1) and atop the

league standings. CdM came in 2-1-1, its only tie to University in

the teams’ dual meet March 26.

“It really hurt,” Bowlus said about her swim in the 400 free

relay. “I went out fast and felt my legs stop, but I just kept on

going.”

Jubilation, coupled with exhaustion, infused Sea King swimmers

following the announcement of their league title.

“It is awesome,” McKay said of winning the league title. ‘“I feel

happy for [CdM Coach Doug Volding]. He really wanted this.”

The final relay capped an extraordinary day for Bowlus, who set a

meet record in the 50 free (24.72), while also breaking a school

record in winning the 100 free in 53.31, each time earning automatic

entry into the CIF prelims. Bowlus’ time in the 100 free broke Kate

Salvino’s 53.33 set in 1988.

Salvino’s brother, Tim Salvino, coaches CdM’s boys varsity swim

team and smiled when he heard the news Bowlus broke his sister’s

school record.

“All records are made to be broken,” he said. “I love the fact

that someone like Brittney did it. She is a great person.”

Bowlus, bound for UCLA to play water polo, also swam anchor for

CdM’s winning 200 free relay team along with Anae, Vivian Liao and

Shue, which also set a meet record in 1:41.91.

“You blow me away,” CdM senior teammate Christina Hewko said as

she enveloped Bowlus in a hug.

“I looked at Brittney and said, ‘This is your thing, let’s go out

and do it,’” Volding said. “I didn’t doubt her.”

Team camaraderie swarmed around the pool for CdM Friday and it had

every reason to. The Sea Kings took first in seven of the 11 events,

including two victories by freshman phenom Alexandra Shue in the 500

free (5:06.72) and 200 individual medley (2:09.98), easily gaining

automatic qualification into the CIF prelims. Shue was joined in the

winning parade by freshman Tumua Anae’s first-place clocking in the

100 breaststroke (1:10.38).

University, which had won the previous three PCL titles, led all

of the meet and gained a 401-390 edge after the 200 free relay.

Jordan Anae took second in the 100 back followed by Hewko’s

fourth-place finish (1:04.88) and Ashley Chandler (sixth in 1:05.27).

Jackie McCoy (1:14.24) finished in fourth behind first-place Tumua

Anae in the 100 breaststroke as Ann Winners swam in 1:17.29.

“We came out of that backstroke eight points ahead,” Volding said.

“If one of our girls doesn’t do what she did, then we would not have

won. It was a classic example of a team concept.”

Coaches named Bowlus and Shue Co-Swimmers of the Meet.

Volding said 13 girls either qualified automatically or gained

consideration for individual events of the CIF prelims. Jordan Anae

in the 100 free (54.77) and 100 back (1:00.70), Bowlus in the 50 free

(24.72) and 100 free (53.31), McKay in the 200 free (2:00.25) and 500

free (5:24.02) and Shue in the 200 IM (2:07.88) and 500 free

(5:06.72) all automatically qualified for the CIF prelims. Danielle

Carlson in the 100 back (1:03.27), Hewko in the 200 free (2:01.77),

Liao in the 100 free (55.48) and McCoy in the 50 free (25.45) all

gained automatic entry into the prelims. Others earning consideration

include: Tumua Anae in the 100 free (56.34) and 100 breaststroke (1:10.64); Kathryn Bilder in the 500 free (5:42.91), Chandler in the

200 free (2:06.18) and 100 back (1:03.27); Jessica Harkins in the 200

free (2:06.19) and 100 back (1:06.69); Hewko in the 100 back

(1:04.88); Liao in the 50 free (25.66) and McCoy in the 100

breaststroke (1:11.83).

The CIF finals will be held beginning at 4 p.m. May 17 at Belmont

Plaza in Long Beach.