Big day for TOHS boys, Warrior girls at Marmonte swim finals

WENDY PIERRO/Acorn Newspapers VICTORY—Thousand Oaks High's David Armstrong works his way to a first-place finish in the 100-yard butterfly race during league finals. Almost every school had something to smile about at the Marmonte League Swimming Championships.

Six of seven league teams enjoyed at least one firstplace finish during last Thursday's league finals at Rancho Simi Community Pool in Simi Valley.

Westlake High's girls dominated the meet with 472 points, 175 more than second-place Thousand Oaks.

Buoyed by seven first-place finishes, the Lancers' boys won with 458 points, outdistancing runner-up Agoura.

"I'm happy with today," said Thousand Oaks senior Griffin Talan after winning an emotional 100-yard breaststroke race.

The Lancers shared Talan's enthusiasm.

Just after Thousand Oaks' boys were announced winners over the loudspeakers, every Lancer jumped together into the pool for a raucous celebration.

Victory was especially sweet for Talan, who placed third in the 100 breaststroke as a sophomore before notching second place as a junior at the Marmonte Championships.

"I figure it's my year finally," he said. "I've been waiting four years for this."

Talan won the 100 breaststroke in 1 minute, 2.29 seconds, edging Royal's Sevag Mehterian (1:02.99) and junior teammate Colin Wheatly (1:03.45.)

Talan, Henly Ko, Spencer Posey and Spencer Boone won the 200 medley relay in 1:40.05. According to Talan, they were about a half-second off from breaking the 1983 school record.

Talan said he's confident the quartet would eclipse the mark at this week's CIF preliminaries and finals.

Entering the week of the league finals, Talan cut his curly brown locks into a Mohawk in the spirit of team unity. The day before his big race, Talan cut off the rest of his hair—and nobody could catch up.

"If anybody's going to beat me, I'm glad it's him," Wheatly said of Talan. The friends who enjoy surfing together relished a spirited victory lap around the pool after Talan's win.

Senior Jackie Brousseau led the way for the Westlake Warriors with wins in the 100 freestyle (53.22) and the 100 breaststroke (1:05.11), and shared victories in the 400 freestyle relay and the 200 medley relay.

The Warrior girls also won the 200 freestyle relay.

Agoura's Shannyn Hultin won the grueling 500 freestyle almost 10 seconds faster than the next closest swimmer, completing the race in 5:09.91.

The Chargers sophomore also won the 100 butterfly in 1:00.39.

Hultin's strategy in the 500 was to keep a steady pace for the first 100 yards, race hard in the middle 300 and sprint the final 100.

"I didn't want to go out too fast," said Hultin, who was about four seconds off her personal best time. "But I'm pretty happy with it. . . . This is a big confidence boost going to CIF."

Veronica Lin, a sophomore from Thousand Oaks, won the 100 backstroke in 1:02.11. Lin edged Calabasas' junior Leia Marasovich (1:03.35), who nabbed second place.

"It feels real good," Lin said. "I gave it all I got. I think it was my best race of the entire season. I'm really happy."

Newbury Park senior Cassie Kobrin, who swims with Lin in the Class Aquatics club team, congratulated the Lancer afterward.

"She has come around ridiculously far," Kobrin said of Lin.

Moorpark's Summer Bennett took home a Marmonte title in the 200 IM in 2:12.18.

"I just tried to think about one (stroke) at a time," the sophomore said. "It was a really close race."

Bennett, her sister Amber, Alanah Bird and Sam Magnani finished second in the 200 free relay and the 200 medley relay.

Magnani placed second in two individual races, the 500 freestyle and the 200 freestyle.

"I bettered my times in almost every race," said Magnani, who focused on kicking to improve her racing. "I don't usually kick in the water—kicking is a big deal for me. Today I used both my upper and lower body."

Westlake junior Nora Darago won the 200 freestyle (1:56.48), while Lauren Barnett of Thousand Oaks won the 50 free (24.79.)

Among varsity boys, Newbury Park senior Cameron Hargitai had a strong showing at his last Marmonte Championships. Hargitai won the 500 freestyle (4:40.98) and the 200 freestyle (1:45.46.)

"It's great. I feel awesome," Hargitai said after his 500 freestyle title, his favorite race.

"I needed to pick it up and just go for it. . . . It's about getting in a good rhythm in a 500."

Sophomore David Armstrong of Thousand Oaks also had a stellar day in the water, nabbing titles in the 50 freestyle (21.61) and the 100 butterfly (52.75.)

Teammate Henly Ko won the 200 IM in 2:02.41. The Lancers' 200 freestyle relay also earned a victory, while the Chargers won the 400 freestyle relay.

Thousand Oaks' Spencer Boone secured first place in the 100 backstroke in 54.94 seconds. The sophomore swam the same race 10 seconds slower last season.

"This has taken a lot of work," Boone said. "It's nice to win— I've never won something before. I'm happy."

Royal's Cody Moore, only a freshman, had a huge victory in the 100 freestyle. Moore won the race in 47.78 seconds, touching the wall well ahead of Agoura's David Sparks, who finished the race in 49.3.

"It's a big honor," said Moore, a driver for the water polo squad. "If I worked harder, I could have done better."

The freshman, who placed second in the 50 freestyle in 22.18 seconds, just behind Armstrong, admitted swimming isn't quite his forte.

"Swimming is not my favorite sport; water polo is," Moore said.

"But I enjoy the meets, I enjoy the races and I enjoy the pressure. But I don't like swim practice—that's no fun. Awards may come, but it's about having fun."