NHST unbeaten third straight time

The Newport Hills Killer Whales had already locked up first place in the South Coast Swim Conference, yet the big question was whether they could go undefeated for the third straight season. In their path toward another perfect year were the Harbor View Dolphins Saturday.

When these two friendly rivals come face to face, regardless of their record or the year, all bets are off, as swimmers from both teams often swim their best times of the season at these local meets, and competitors put all other scheduling conflicts on ice so that they can participate in this Newport Beach neighborhood standoff.

The stage was set, and the Dolphins were yearning to play the spoiler role.

But the Newport Hills Swim Team didn’t let that happen, winning, 711-615.

The Newport Hills 11-12 boys’ quartet of Taylor Cortens, Danny Robertson, Brett Greenlee and Nick Schroeder started the meet with a strong statement, setting a new team record in the medley relay with a time of 2 minutes, 04.53 seconds, breaking the old team record set in 2007 by Blake Motal, Nick Furgatch, Christian Garkani and Richie Barden.

The Killer Whales earned more team points than the Dolphins in both the 11-12 and 13-14 age groups during the morning session.

However, the Dolphins put together a strong showing in their 15-18 age group, and had a narrow lead as the afternoon began.

With the 10-and-under swimmers, the tide began to move in favor of the Killer Whales, as they won more team points in all of the afternoon age groups — under-6, as well as 7-8 and 9-10 — with the 9-10 boys squad winning its age group by a score of 92-23.

Both teams had numerous standouts.

Four Newport Hills swimmers were three-time winners in individual events. In the 7-8 girls, Chloe Harbilas won the 25-yard freestyle, 25 backstroke and 50 freestyle, and in the 9-10 boys Henry Wilde was victorious in the 25 butterfly, 50 back and 100 individual medley.

Taylor Cortens, in the 11-12 boys, swam to wins in the 50 fly, 50 back and 100 IM and in the 13-14 boys, Christian Garkani grabbed the blue ribbon in the 50 free, 50 fly and 100 IM. Garkani broke a team record in the fly that had stood for five years, finishing in 24.85, beating Patrick White, who touched in 25.23.

The Killer Whales also had five swimmers who were two-time winners in individual events, with three of them setting new team records. In the under-6 girls, Bianca Bays was first in both the 25 breaststroke and 25 fly, while Speedy Laster won the 25 free and 25 back in the under-6 boys. Madeline Musselman won both the 50 free and 100 IM, and her second-place finish in the 25 fly still ended up being a new team record of 14.37, which broke the old team record of 14.52 set in 1995 by Niki Hendrickson.

Brianna Daboub was a gold-medal winner in both the 50 breaststroke and 50 back for the 11-12 girls, and broke her own team record set two weeks before in the 50 back with a time of 32.03.

In the 15-18 girls, Hollace Barden won both the 50 free and 50 fly, setting a new team record in the 50 free, breaking her own record set last month, with a new time of 26.13.

Individual event winners for Newport Hills included Lauren Hughes (25 free) in the under-6 girls, Tommy Bethel (25 fly) in the under-6 boys, Sophie Wallace (25 breaststroke) and Hana Cloherty (25 fly) in the 7-8 girls, Connor McManigal (25 back) in the 7-8 boys, Lauren Openshaw (50 breaststroke) in the 9-10 girls, JT Russell (50 free) and Rourke Funke (50 breaststroke) in the 9-10 boys, Natalie Wilde (100 IM) in the 11-12 girls, Brett Greenlee (50 free) in the 11-12 boys, Lauren Dean (50 fly) in the 13-14 girls, Nick Furgatch (50 breaststroke) in the 13-14 boys and Graham Wickens (100 IM) in the 15-18 boys.

Three Harbor View swimmers were three-time winners for the Dolphins in individual events.

In the 7-8 boys, Alexander Taxman was a winner in the 25 free, 25 fly and 50 free, while Jules Pouch won the 50 free, 50 breaststroke and 100 IM in the 13-14 girls and in the 15-18 girls Pippa Saunders grabbed the winning ribbon in the 50 breaststroke, 50 back and 100 IM.

Matt Berry in the 15-18 boys won both the 50 free and 50 fly, and Abby Nutt (25 back) in the under-6 girls, Tristan Hook (25 breaststroke) in the under-6 boys, Luke Chelf (25 breaststroke) in the 7-8 boys, Kelly Siegel (with a spectacular race in the 25 fly) and Alexandra Osterberg (50 back) in the 9-10 girls, Anna Pisors (50 free) and Madalyn Ruiz (50 fly) in the 11-12 girls, Ricky Zak (50 breaststroke) in the 11-12 boys, Delaney Pouch (50 back) in the 13-14 girls, Jake Wyatt (50 back) in the 13-14 boys, and Westley Sherburne (50 breaststroke) and Ari Marks (50 backstroke) in the 15-18 boys were all winners in individual events for the Dolphins.

To finish off the meet, there were two relays between parents from both teams — first the fathers and then the mothers. In both races, numerous collegiate and Olympian swimming and water polo stars put on quite an exhibition for all of the swimmers and fans. After their great show, it was no wonder that numerous team records had been set that afternoon.

Both the Newport Hills Killer Whales and the Harbor View Dolphins finish off the season by participating in the South Coast Swim Conference Finals Saturday at Corona del Mar High with races beginning at 9 a.m.