Belden anchors Sailors

Rick Devereux

Anne Belden is following in the footsteps of her older siblings.

The recent Newport Harbor High graduate has excelled in aquatics

for the Sailors and will play water polo for UCLA in the fall.

Her sister Katherine and brother Peter both play water polo for

the Bruins. Katherine was recently named to the national All-Academic

team and both she and Peter were named Newport Harbor Athlete of the

Year.

Belden is living up to her family name as her efforts her senior

season earn her Newport Harbor Female Athlete of the Year honors.

In water polo, she led the team with 88 goals as the Tars finished

as undefeated Sea View League champions. Newport finished 27-4 and

advanced to the CIF Southern Section Division I final as Belden

racked up her second straight first-team All-CIF recognition.

She was named league Co-Player of the Year.

Belden also helped the Sailors do something her brother or sister

could not accomplish: Newport Harbor claimed the league title in

swimming.

While no Sailor finished first in any event in the league meet,

Belden was second in the 100-yard freestyle (54.02) and third in the

100 backstroke (1:00.86). She also swam legs on the league runner-up

200 free relay (1:41.73) as well as the 400 free relay (3:39.42).

At the CIF Division I finals at Belmont Plaza, Belden swam the

opening leg of the 400 free relay in 54.42 as the Sailors finished

eighth (3:39.38). She also swam the leadoff leg of the 200 free relay

in 25.99 as the Tars finished 16th (1:43.69). She was 16th in the 100

free (56.31) and 28th in the 100 back (1:02.13).