Boys’ Swimming Preview: Glendale Julian, Crescenta Valley looking for repeat success

While Arcadia High’s Tenny Chong might ultimately have a say in the matter, arguably the Pacific League’s best returner and the top talent in the area is a Nitro from Glendale.

Glendale’s Trenton Julian will have his work cut out for him in following up last year’s CIF Southern Section Division II title in the 100-yard butterfly, with a third-place medal in the individual medley to boot.

But Julian’s pedigree indicates the best is yet to come from this talented junior.

He’s not just a product of the elite Rose Bowl Aquatics club program who brought home Glendale’s individual CIF swimming title since 1971, he’s the son of Rose Bowl’s head coach, Jeff Julian. And his summers are spent chasing medals of a different kind.

He recently went under two minutes in the 200 fly to qualify for the U.S. Olympic Trials in Omaha, Neb., which will take place from June 26 to July 3.

An All-American last season who is the reigning All-Area Boys’ Swimmer of the Year, Julian stood out individually for Glendale, but Crescenta Valley still rules the Pacific League roost.

There was a time not too long ago when Crescenta Valley had not just one, but several swimmers the caliber of Julian back when Young Tae Seo and Harrison Thai were leading the Falcons to podium finishes at CIF.

“We got spoiled with Young Tae and Harrison,” said Falcons Coach Jan Sakonju, whose team placed 11th last year in Division II.

Even without a true ace, the Falcons are still in good position to remain the area’s top team, both in terms of CIF placement and extending an incredible streak of 23 straight Pacific League titles.

Top senior swimmers Eddie Gallehugh and Hyun Sung Kim will be asked to pick up the slack left by the graduation of Edward Yi, Eric Park and Sol Yoon. Meanwhile, Sakonju likes the depth provided by Taehoon Kim, Bradford Hales, Wesley Hovanesian, Jeffrey Malmrose and Jesse Sullivan.

“These are guys who were finalists in league and, for league and dual meets this year, they are going to be key contributors,” Sakonju said. “It should be pretty exciting.”

Three club freshmen also arrived this year and William Blake, Justin Shen and Andre Yarcan will play a role immediately, Sakonju said.

“They haven’t competed for us yet, but based on their club times, these three freshmen will probably qualify for CIF,” Sakonju said.

Arcadia, led by Chong, the reigning Division II 50 freestyle champion, and boasting a deep supporting cast, will be the Falcons’ main competition in league.

Although not quite to the extent it saw last year, Flintridge Prep was once again impacted significantly by graduation. CIF qualifiers Diego Delgado, Gary Lee and Kevin Park are all gone, leaving a squad of mostly water polo players for the two-time defending Prep League champs.

“The 50 free and 100 free should be a hot commodity for every meet,” Rebels Coach Ingrid Herskind said.

Versatile junior Andy Langan will the top swimmer for Prep, with sophomore Brett Bell also in the mix.

Webb should provide the Rebels with their toughest challenge in league.

“I think it’s going to be much more of a close contest this year,” Herskind said. “We’re going to definitely be scrapping it out. Hopefully, we’re able to rise to that occasion.”

Hoover will have one dependable all-around athlete in returning CIF swimmer Vahe Akopyan.

“He can pretty much do anything for us,” Tornadoes Coach Kevin Witt said.

Aside from that, Hoover will not have an abundance of depth, though freshman Jordan Corpuz and junior Levon Gukasyan will help put up points.

“Overall, we don’t have many seniors on either side at all,” Witt said. “We’re pretty young right now.”

St. Francis has opened up its second-year program to all students after making it available to year-round club swimmers last season. Coach Brady Lowdermilk says there are now 20 swimmers in the program overall, including junior varsity. The Golden Knights had one of the area’s top swimmers last year in the graduated Douglas Noguiera, who took sixth in the backstroke in Division I.

This year the varsity squad returns ¾ of last year’s CIF 400-freestyle relay team in junior Gabriel Azabache and seniors Noah Hirshon and Michael Humphrey.

St. Francis will practice at Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy and compete in the Mission League.