Lions attack record book in Long Beach

The Oaks Christian boys' swim team didn't just etch its names into the CIF-Southern Section Division III history books last weekend; it basically rewrote the thing.

The Lions captured a section title for the fourth straight year at the Belmont Plaza Pool in Long Beach Saturday, breaking three Division III records en route to gaining 377 points, more than 200 points better than second-place Cerritos High.

Oaks Christian won all three of its relay races and broke Division III records in two of the events.

The Lions' 200-yard medley relay team, consisting of seniors Michael Craft and Nolan Koon, as well as junior Collin Baratte and sophomore Chase Bloch, posted a mark of 1:33.78. The time broke a 16year record previously held by Walnut High.

Senior Kevin Nielsen joined Craft, Koon and Bloch on the relay squad that set a new record in the 200-yard freestyle event with a time of 1:24.73. La Serna High set the previous record of 1:26.73 in 1993.

"Our relay teams were mostly seniors, so I really wanted them to go out on a good note," Bloch said. "The old records lasted for about 15 years, so we wanted to have a time (the seniors) knew would also last for 15 to 20 years."

Koon also set an individual record in the 200-yard IM when he finished with a time of 1:50.06. Koon's victory was a full second quicker than the 1992 record set by Suichi Matsumoto. Koon also won the 100-yard breast stroke with a time of 56:25.

Nielsen won titles in the 200yard freestyle (1:40.82) and 100yard butterfly (49.53). Nielsen ended his career at OCHS undefeated in CIF races.

"My freshman year I knew it was a possibility to go undefeated in CIF events, especially the individual ones," Nielsen said.

"Coming into this year it was a big goal of mine to make that happen, and it feels great that it came true. I have to give a lot of credit to my teammates, especially the ones on my relay team, because they helped make this happen."

Nielsen's teammates, Bloch and Baratte, took home individual titles of their own. Bloch won the 500-yard freestyle (4:36.91), while Baratte took first in the 100yard backstroke (52.61).

Overall, the Lions claimed first-place honors in nine of the 11 non-diving events.

The Oaks Christian girls finished in fourth place overall with 138 points, 84 points behind the winner, El Segundo. The Lion girls' relay team finished first in the 200-yard medley with a mark of 1:52.16.

Later Saturday afternoon in the CIF-SS Division II Finals, Thousand Oaks senior Camille Duckett claimed the girls' 200yard freestyle title in 1:49.36.

Duckett won the close race against her league rival from Westlake High, Aislinn Smalling, who posted a personal-best mark of 1:49.48.

"Aislinn is a great swimmer, and I knew she would be the one causing me problems in the race," Duckett said after her win.

"I tried to take off a lot faster than usual in the first 100 because (Smalling) takes it out slower at the start. I really had to focus on the middle to the last part of the race, because I knew she excels during that period."

Smalling also broke a personal record by 4 seconds in the 500yard freestyle (4:52.47), but once again had tough luck by finishing in second place when Chaminade High sophomore Meghan Hawthorne beat her by 3 seconds.

"I got two of my best times, so I'm happy with the way I swam," the Princeton-bound Smalling said. "I try to swim my own race and not worry about what everyone else is doing because I have no control over that."

Smalling's luck would change for the better later in the afternoon, however, when her Warrior relay teams took first place in the 400-yard freestyle (3:33.57) and 200-yard freestyle (1:37.80).

The Warriors' time in the 200 was a new Division II record.

Thousand Oaks finished in second place during the 200 race with a time of 1:38.34, also good enough to break a two-year CIF record previously held by University High.

"We were watching the scoreboard and Smalling (the team's final swimmer), because the race was so close between us and Thousand Oaks," said Westlake junior relay swimmer Marisa De Wames.

"We knew we had a chance at the record, but if we didn't get the record we at least wanted to beat Thousand Oaks."

Westlake's record-breaking relay team consisted of Smalling, De Wames, junior Jackie Brousseau and sophomore Iris Yan. Junior Megan NorlingChristensen replaced Yan on the 400-yard freestyle team.

"I'm as happy as I can be for them," Westlake head coach Todd Irmas said. "They are great competitors, and if it's a close race I'm very confident they can pull out a win."

The Westlake girls' would finish with 165 points on the day, good enough for a second place behind Hart of Newhall, who won with 207.5 points.

Thousand Oaks finished in fourth place with 137 points.

On the boys' side, TOHS finished in 24th place with 31 points, while Newbury Park placed 45th with two points. La Canada was the boys' champ with 236 points.