Clean sweep for refined Pirates

Bryce Alderton

Friday’s Orange Empire Conference dual swim meet between host Orange

Coast College and Cypress wasn’t as much about beating the other team

as it was about refining techniques and steadily training toward

bigger and better things.

The Pirates, though, proved they are further along in the process

with convincing victories by both men’s (122-15) and women’s teams

(148-18), which both improved to 2-0 in dual-meet competition.

Coast women won 10 individual events while the men claimed eight

individual victories. Both teams also won two relay races.

Shannon Maxfield, Sara Natalizio, Crystal Carroll, Erin Harvey and

Kim Doll each won two events on the women’s side.

Maxfield claimed the 200-yard individual medley (2:27.26) and the

200 freestyle (2:08.76) while Natalizio bested the field in the 50

backstroke (31.45) and 50 butterfly (28.08). Doll won the 50 free

(26.83) and 100 free (57.54) while Carroll claimed the 100

breaststroke (1:16.23) and 500 free (5:59.72). Harvey narrowly

defeated Maxfield in the 100 IM (1:08.17) and edged Natalizio in the

50 breaststroke (30.74) by thirteen-hundredths of a second.

Natalizio usually competes in the 100 IM -- she is the defending

state champion in the event -- and 100 fly, but used Friday’s meet as

an opportunity to alter her routine a bit.

“I hate doing the same things over every meet,” said the sophomore

who was a part of OCC’s state championship team a year ago.

Freshmen Chris Hunter and Max Wong each won two events for the

Coast men while Trevor Myers (200 IM, 2:16), Roger Wong (200

breaststroke, 2:23.95), Jason Huang (200 back, 2:12.40) and Sean

Nilsson (500 free, 5:19.70) all took one individual event. Max Wong

doubled in the 200 fly (2:18.59) and 200 free (1:54.46) while Hunter

earned victories in the 50 free (23.15) and 100 free (51.77). Hunter

defeated Huang by three-hundredths of a second in the 50 free.

Coming into the meet, Cypress Coach Larry Beidler knew his teams

would be at a disadvantage with decreased numbers and facing a

formidable opponent in Coast.

“Coast has a very strong team,” Beidler said. “We are focusing on

midseason times and seeing the things we need to work on.”

Coast Coach Don Watson had a similar agenda and, along with

Beidler, is looking forward to the 26-team Cuesta invitational, a

two-day event that begins Friday at Cuesta College in San Luis

Obispo.

“We’ll find out the talent level of the Northern California

schools, which will answer the questions of the statewide picture,”

Watson said.

Watson and co-coach Dave Salo led the Coast women to last year’s

state title and feel both teams are ahead of schedule this season.

“They have a terrific work ethic, great camaraderie and an intense

desire to pursue excellence. They are achievement-oriented,” Watson

said.

Hunter glanced at a banner that listed the state swimming

championships won by Coast teams, which include 13 for the women.

“That’s what you shoot for,” Hunter said. “In years past we have

been stronger, but we are hoping to get there. We are working hard as

a team to achieve the same goals.”