CdM stocked for bid to repeat

Rick Devereux

It is difficult to duplicate a championship season in any sport. That

is why the Corona del Mar High girls swim team is not looking to

duplicate the accomplishments of last year’s CIF Southern Section

Division II title-winning squad.

This year’s unit is looking to surpass them.

“I really do believe this team is better than last year’s,” Coach

Doug Volding said.

Better than a team that went undefeated in league dual meets?

Better than a team that won the Division II championship with

winning times in the 100-yard breaststroke, 500 freestyle and 200

medley relay?

“It looks like it could be a stronger team because we have

swimmers in the areas we were weak last year,” Volding said. “We

didn’t have girls in every spot. Now, we have so much talent, I’m

just trying to put together the puzzle.”

The 200 medley relay, for example, has up to eight swimmers who

may rotate in the lineup.

Jordan Anae, who swam on the winning team last season, and Ashley

Chandler are candidates for the backstroke. Stephanie Gabert, Alexine

Rodenhuis and Julian Piggot will contribute on the breaststroke leg.

Freshman Danielle Lavery is expected to take over the butterfly spot

left vacant when Kim McKay graduated. Chandler, Ann Winners and Lexie

Shue could handle the anchor freestyle leg.

CdM will switch rotations around instead of stay with a steady

lineup because club swimmers -- such as Gabert, Shue, Chandler and

Jackie Duzac -- may have other obligations.

Also, it allows Volding to let his top swimmers concentrate in

their respective specialties or to counter against an opponent’s

strengths.

“You never know what’s out there,” Volding said. “There are some

great swimmers in Southern California and some terrific swimmers in

CIF. We know we will be a contender [for the CIF title]. It will take

a tough team to beat us, but we know tough teams are out there.”

The success of the water polo team -- the Sea Kings captured the

CIF Southern Section Division II championship in February -- has CdM

thinking one-two-three finishes in freestyle sprint events.

Anae, Winners, Cari Levine, Camille Hewko and Paige O’Brien will

all have a chance to make an impact on the 50 and 100 free events.

Kathryn Bilder, Brittney Wigley and Anne Claster will have a shot

at the distance races, but will have to overthrow Shue as the

dominant distance swimmer for CdM. Shue was the Division II 500 free

champion last year, swimming a personal best of 5 minutes, 51.23

seconds. Shue is also a contender in the 200 free as well as the 200

individual medley.

Katie Indvik will join Shue in swimming multiple events.

“Katie can do any stroke I ask her,” Volding said. “She has such a

great attitude. It really helps the team when you have swimmers like

her.”

The butterfly is usually the Achilles heel for most swim teams,

but CdM is loaded with solid swimmers in the tough event.

Lavery has emerged as a budding star, thanks to her domination in

the fly, though she is versatile enough to swim any stroke.

Shue and Gabert finished second and third, respectively, in CIF in

the 200 IM last year and Volding said there is a strong chance CdM

could take the top three spots when Lavery steps onto the starting

block.

Anae and Chandler are solid in the backstroke. Anae finished sixth

in Division II in the 100 back in 59.80.

Tumuaialli Anae, Jordan’s younger sister, is strong in the

breaststroke, but that is Gabert’s specialty. Gabert won the 100

breaststroke in 1:03.36, setting a new CIF record in the process.