To be continued ...

LAGUNA BEACH — Who should be the favorite on the boys’ side at the Orange Coast League swimming finals?

Both Costa Mesa High and Laguna Beach could lay claim after they tied, 85-85, in the final league dual meet Wednesday at Laguna Beach.

The Breakers won the girls’ meet, 111-59.

Predictably, the boys’ favorite for league finals May 7 at the Breakers’ pool depended on who was asked.

“We tied, and we should have won,” Laguna Beach Coach Kari Johnson said. “We’re winning next week.”

But twin brothers Cody and Dustin Serrano want to go out on top for the Mustangs. The seniors did their part in the dual meet. Cody won the 200-yard individual medley (2 minutes, 7.31 seconds) and was second in the 100 freestyle (50.76 seconds). Dustin won the 500 free in an impressive 4:58.85, topping the rest of the field by over 30 seconds.

“We really wanted this one,” Dustin Serrano said. “It sets it up perfect [for league finals]. It’s a showdown. Lakers-Celtics finals, right there.”

A female teammate nearby laughed at the comparison to basketball, but the Mustangs want to show the same kind of intensity. Costa Mesa has won league six years in a row, the last two in the Orange Coast League, but the young Breakers are making a push.

It was the Mustangs, however, who made the push Wednesday when it counted. The tie felt like a win after Costa Mesa went 1-2-4 in the breaststroke, the last individual event. Marlo Afuang won in 1:12.49 and junior varsity call-ups Sunny Stone and James Lewis placed second and fourth, respectively.

The Mustangs then finished the meet by winning the important 400 free relay in 3:23.61, their fastest time of the season and easily a CIF Southern Section Division III automatic time. The race was about even after Travis Wright swam the first leg, but junior Chingiz Bigalimov and Dustin Serrano opened up a lead for anchor Cody Serrano, who held off the Breakers’ Preston Head to win by nearly five seconds.

“They get the lead, and I just finish it off,” Cody Serrano said.

Bigalimov was the other individual winner, capturing the 200 free in 1:54.36. The 200 free relay team of Wright, Bigalimov and the Serranos was also first in 1:33.74.

On the girls’ side, it was tough for the Mustangs as Laguna Beach won every event. But Coach Patty Smith pointed to positives like senior Briana Williams, who earned a pair of Division III consideration times in the 200 free (2:04.29, third place) and 500 free (second in 5:46.59). Senior Andrea Beyaoju also earned a consideration time in the 100 fly (1:05.30, second place), and junior Hannah Speer was second in the 100 breast (1:12.59).

Costa Mesa traditionally tapers well, which should help at league finals. The boys’ league finals may come down to the 400 free relay again, although there is the added caveat that teams may enter four swimmers in each event.

“Is our fourth going to be faster than their fourth?” Smith said. “That’s the key.”

She probably hopes her team doesn’t choke in the finals like the Lakers did last year.