Charging to CIF title

WALNUT — From the very start, the meet belonged to the Edison High girls’ swim team.

The Chargers came out Friday night at the CIF Southern Section Division I finals and were on fire from the first event, when Cindy Tran, Sarah Moss, Ellie Morrissey and Kierstin Colesen set a meet record in the 200-yard medley relay (1 minute, 43.60 seconds).

“The relay got us all fired up,” Tran said.

And at the end, they made history at Mt. San Antonio College. The Edison girls won the Division I title, which is a first for Edison aquatics in either swimming or water polo. The Chargers totaled 275 points, easily outdistancing second-place Hart (187).

The Fountain Valley girls, paced by junior Cynthia Fascella’s wins in the 50 free (23.04) and 100 free (50.21), placed third.

“We saw some superstars really emerge, not just with our club depth but with straight-up water polo players who really bought into the whole team and believed,” Edison Coach Keith Ryan said. “It’s incredible.”

Ryan at first wasn’t sure he wanted to take the job on, with grad school and work and getting engaged to UC Irvine swim coach Aleah Amr.

But there were no complaints Friday after the Chargers had won the title.

Tran placed first in the 100 butterfly (54.31) and also defended her Division I title in the 100 back (53.73). She was the only individual event winner for the girls, but they were too deep. Edison also had solid swims from Ellie Morrissey and Moss (fifth and seventh, respectively) in the 200 individual medley.

“We’re so together,” Tran said. “We’re so supportive of each other. It’s amazing to be a part of this team.”

The Chargers finished the night by winning the 400 free relay, as Alli Gillespie, Morrissey, Warde and Tran finished in 3:28.18.

“We were getting each other pumped up the whole time,” Warde said. “We just came together at the end, obviously. It was great.”

For the Edison boys, Tom Shields finished his remarkable high school career. The Cal-bound Shields, who had set the national high school record in the 200 free at prelims (1:33.83), won the event again in 1:34.85, which still beat the old national record.

In the 100 fly, Shields broke his own meet record with a 47.55. Then, in a memorable close to the meet, he anchored the 400 free relay to a come-from-behind win over meet champion Capistrano Valley. The Chargers 400 free relay team of Josh Smith, Michael Hauss, Kenny Bray and Shields finished in 3:05.27. Shields’ split was a blazing 42.88.

“It’s the second-fastest time ever, so I love it,” Shields said of his 200 free time. “It’s really fun. It’s kind of a letdown but there’s always next year, I guess ... I just feel very sentimental. I love this sport, and I love everything the CIF has done for me. I’ve got so much experience, but I’m ready to move on. I really am.”

Shields ended his career as four-time CIF champion in the 200 free.

Fountain Valley’s girls set a meet record in the 200 free relay, as Cynthia Fascella, Erika Lucas, Danica Fascella and Shelby Webber touched in 1:34.94.

Webber, a sophomore, was also second to Cynthia Fascella in the 100 free.

Edison also had senior Michelle Vale, headed to UCLA, place fourth in Division I in diving with 522.70 points. Vale came back Tuesday night and was eighth at the CIF Masters Meet, held at Belmont Plaza. The Chargers swimmers elected not to compete at Masters; Tran and Shields are competing this weekend with the U.S. junior team in Vancouver.

For Fountain Valley, Cynthia Fascella won the Masters title in the 50 free (23.01 seconds) and 100 free (49.89). Both times are new Masters meet records. The Barons also placed first in the girls’ 200 free relay, as Webber, Taylor Johnson, Kelsey Stewart and Fascella touched in 1:38.05.