Newport opens 2009 swim season with win

Killer Whales defeat Dolphins 831-460

The Newport Hills Killer Whales kicked off their 2009 South Coast Swim Conference season with a solid 831-460 victory over their friendly rival Harbor View Dolphins this past Saturday, June 6th at the Newport Hills home pool.

The Killer Whales were led by their Under 6 Boys, 7-8 Girls, 9-10 Boys, 11-12 Boys and their 13-14 Boys, as each age group took first place in each of their individual events---- freestyle, breaststroke, butterfly and backstroke----as well as their medley and freestyle relays.

For Newport Hills, there were a number of three-time winners in individual events. They included Speedy Laster in the Under 6 Boys’ 25 yard Freestyle, 25 yard Breaststroke and 25 yard Backstroke, Sophie Wallace in the 7-8 Girls’ 25 yard Breaststroke, 25 yard Butterfly and 50 yard Freestyle, Madeline Musselman in the 9-10 Girls’ 50 yard Freestyle, 50 yard Butterfly and 100 yard Individual Medley, Taylor Cortens in the 11-12 Boys’ 50 yard Freestyle, 50 yard Backstroke and 100 yard Individual Medley, Christian Garkani in the 13-14 Boys’ 50 yard Freestyle, 50 yard Butterfly and 50 yard Backstroke---in which he set a new team and pool record of 26.22, and Hollace Barden in the 15-18 Girls’ 50 yard Freestyle---where she set a new team record of 26.22, 50 yard Butterfly and the 100 yard Individual Medley.

Two-time winners in individual events for the Killer Whales included Chloe Harbilas in the 7-8 Girls 25 yard Freestyle and the 25 yard Backstroke, Morgan Cortens in the 9-10 Boys’ 50 yard Backstroke and the 50 yard Backstroke, Henry Wilde in the 9-10 Boys’ 25 yard Butterfly and the 100 yard Individual Medley, Brianna Daboub in the 11-12 Girls’ 50 yard Backstroke and 100 yard Individual Medley and Derek Salvino in the 15-18 Boys’ 50 yard Freestyle and the 50 yard Breaststroke.

Tommy Bethel (Under 6 Boys’ 25 yard Butterfly), Jake Bays (7-8 Boys’ 25 yard Freestyle), Connor McManigal (7-8 Boys’ Backstroke), Lauren Openshaw (9-10 Girls’ Breaststroke), JT Russell (9-10 Boys’ 50 yard Freestyle), Courtney Garkani (11-12 Girls’ 50 yard Butterfly), Danny Robertson (11-12 Boys’ 50 yard Breaststroke), Brett Greenlee (11-12 Boys’ 50 yard Butterfly), Skylar Dapp (13-14 Girls’ 50 yard Breaststroke), Lauren Dean (50 yard Butterfly), Nick Furgatch (13-14 Boys’ 50 yard Breaststroke), Blake Motal (13-14 Boys’ 100 yard individual Medley), Jeff Condino (15-18 Boys’ 50 yard Butterfly) and Willy Reese (15-18 Boys’ 50 yard Backstroke) were all individual winners for the Killer Whales.

Newport Hills displayed it’s team depth in the relays, with the Under 6 Boys, the 7-8 Girls, the 7-8 Boys, the 9-10 Boys, the 11-12 Boys, the 13-14 Girls, the 13-14 Boys, the 15-18 Girls and the 15-18 Boys all winning both the Medley Relay and the Freestyle Relay within their age groups. The 13-14 Boys Medley Relay team of Blake Motal, Christian Garkani, Nick Furgatch and Cameron Geehr set a new pool and team record of 1:50.44 in their first place swim.

For the Dolphins, Ally McCormick was a three-time winner in individual events (13-14 Girls’ 50 yard Freestyle, 50 yard Backstroke and 100 yard Individual Medley) and Megan Chelf (Under 6 Girls’ 25 yard Freestyle and 25 yard Breaststroke), Abby Nutt (Under 6 Girls’ 25 yard Butterfly and 25 yard Backstroke) and Alexander Taxman (7-8 Boys’ 25 yard Butterfly and 50 yard Freestyle) were all two-time winners.

Individual event winners for the Dolphins included Luke Chelf (7-8 Boys’ Breaststroke), Kelly Siegel (9-10 Girls’ Backstroke), Taylor Pedicini (11-12 Girls’ Freestyle), Eliza Britt (11-12 Girls’ Breaststroke), Pippa Saunders (15-18 Girls’ Breaststroke), Margot Money (15-18 Girls’ Backstroke) and Daniel Hohl (15-18 Boys’ IM).

The Killer Whales travel to Fountain Valley this Saturday, June 13th to take on the Greenbrook Gators---the meet begins at 9:00 AM.