Newport Harbor rebuilding

Steve Virgen

Times have definitely changed for the Newport Harbor High girls swim

team.

Last year, the Sailors finished second in CIF Southern Section

Division I, quite an accomplishment considering Irvine was the heavy

favorite to win and at least two other schools were vying with

Newport Harbor to take the runner-up spot.

However, this season, the Sailors will be without the trio of

Hayley Peirsol, Nicole Mackey and Mai Tajima, who graduated last

year. Peirsol was the CIF Division I champion in the 200- and

500-yard freestyles, just one of two girls who won two events in the

finals, while Mackey won a CIF title in the 200 individual medley.

Peirsol is at Auburn University and Mackey is at Hawaii.

“When a coach gets to a time like this, it’s time to say, we have

a rebuilding year,” Newport Harbor Coach Ken LaMont said. “We were

very lucky the past few years with the girls we got. There is a solid

core of girls this year that will help us win, but when you put that

in relation to our teams of the years past, it’s not close. But it’s

a team that most people would be happy with.”

LaMont said his core include girls from the water polo team that

won the CIF Division I title, including Leah Robertson, Carolyn

Conway, Anne Belden, Jessica Ball, Melissa Wheeler and Kally Lucas.

Earlier this season, LaMont spoke with the swimmers during an

orientation meeting. He told them of his first few years with the

Newport Harbor program.

LaMont, in his sixth season with the Sailors, said Newport Harbor

struggled in his first year, but were much better the following four.

“I told them I don’t want to go that area of that first year

again,” LaMont said. “I want us to get better.”

LaMont also said the Sailors will be strong in the freestyle

events because of the girls who played water polo and that should

carry on to the relays as well.

Freshman Kayley Oka, originally from Oregon, is an experienced

swimmer and should contribute for the Sailors, LaMont said.

Despite the changes, LaMont said the Sailors might contend for

second place in the Sea View League, which includes defending

champion Irvine and contenders Foothill and Woodbridge.

Newport Harbor opened its dual-meet season against Back Bay rival

Corona del Mar and last week defeated Capistrano Valley.