Sea Kings true to form

CORONA DEL MAR — Coach Barry O’Dea said, for the most part, things went slightly better than form for the Corona del Mar High boys’ swim team Tuesday.

But one Sea King’s willingness to tinker with his own form created the most eye-catching CdM performance in a 95-75 nonleague win over visiting Back Bay rival Newport Harbor.

CdM senior Michael Liao altered his technique to dominate the field and post a season-best time of 58.06 seconds in the 100-yard breaststroke, more than five seconds faster than the runner-up.

Junior John Kim and sophomore Jared Namba won two individual events each for CdM, which O’Dea believes is a solid contender for a CIF Southern Section Division I championship.

“I talked to [Liao] after the race and he said he did something new with his hands,” O’Dea said. “And he told me he didn’t go his absolute hardest and still [turned in] his best time of the year.”

The time easily bettered the standard for automatic All-American status.

Kim won the 200 freestyle (1 minute, 45.66 seconds) and the 100 butterfly (51.36).

Namba topped the field in the 500 free (4:45.66) and the 200 individual medley (1:56.17).

Juniors Garrett Larson (55.51 in the 100 backstroke) and Matt Berry (48.56 in the 100 free) also won individual events for the Sea Kings, ranked No. 1 in the county by the Orange County Register, two spots ahead of Newport.

“We’ve got a pretty good boys’ team this year,” O’Dea said. “We’ve been developing this group for a while and we’re putting it together right now. I think we’re in contention [for a CIF title]. I think we’re there.”

Senior Jack Yeager posted the lone individual win for the Sailors (21.73 in the 50 free) and contributed to the Tars’ victorious 200 free relay quartet that also included Blake Kelly, Matt Russell and Ikaika Sarme.

“Our biggest highlight was winning the 200 free relay with our best time [1:27.55],” said Newport Harbor Coach Jason Lynch, who was impressed by the Sea Kings.

“They are a real strong team,” Lynch said of the hosts. “There are good reasons why they are No. 1. They are very, very good, very strong.”

O’Dea said he loaded up his team’s 200 free relay, but was still bested by the Sailors.

“I went for it,” O’Dea said. “I wanted to see how we stacked up. I thought we did pretty well, but they got us in that one. Sarme is fun to watch. That kid can swim. He’s really, really fast.”