Southern Section Swimming Championships : Hundeby Excels; Brea-Olinda Wins 2-A Titles

Chad Hundeby of Woodbridge High School was unbeatable Saturday afternoon in the Southern Section 2-A swim finals.

Records fell almost every time Hundeby dived into the pool. And the Southern Section 2-A records he shattered were his own, set at last year’s finals.

Hundeby was clearly the best swimmer in the meet. He won the 200 freestyle in 1 minute 38.17 seconds, less than two seconds off the national high school record. He followed that with a victory in the 500 freestyle (4:23.67).

Unfortunately for Woodbridge, Hundeby couldn’t swim all four legs of the 400-yard freestyle relay.

Brea-Olinda, which had been chasing the top four teams throughout the day, passed all of them for the boys’ 2-A championship by winning the day’s final event--the 400 freestyle relay.

The Wildcats won the event in 3 minutes 12.95 seconds, a 2-A record, to finish with 110 points. Calabasas (95 points) was second and Woodbridge (91) third.

Brea-Olinda also won the girls’ title in convincing fashion with 183 points. Paso Robles (143) was second and Mater Dei (95) third.

“We worked as a team (in the relay). That made the difference,” said Jeff Anton, who anchored Brea-Olinda’s 400 freestyle relay team.

But things didn’t look good for the Wildcats at the start of the race.

Hundeby gave Woodbridge a three-second lead with a strong first leg. The Warriors held that lead before Jeremy Hough pulled Brea-Olinda even with 100 yards to go.

Anton, a junior, took the lead away from Coleman Hundeby, Chad’s brother, but just held on for the victory.

Woodbridge finished in 3:13.10, less than two-tenths of a second behind Brea-Olinda.

“I thought I had the race won during the first 50 yards (of my leg),” Anton said. “It was just a matter of hanging on. I was getting scared the last 25 yards. I didn’t even look at him (Coleman Hundeby).”

In the 200 freestyle and 500 freestyle, Chad Hundeby drastically dropped his times from Friday’s preliminaries. He shaved more than five seconds off his time in the 200 and was 12 seconds faster in the 500.

“I didn’t want to wear myself out (on Friday),” Hundeby said. “The finals were 24 hours later, so I swam just good enough to qualify. I pretty much knew I could win the finals.”

Scott Deboer of Brea-Olinda and Chris Clarke of Rancho Alamitos were the boys’ only other double winners.

Deboer finished first in the 100 breaststroke (59.10) and 200 individual medley (1:55.37). Clarke won the 50 freestyle (21.38) and 100 backstroke (53.34).

In the girls’ competition, Denise Weber of Brea-Olinda continued her dominance in the 200 freestyle, winning it for the third consecutive year.

Weber, a senior, was challenged by freshman Amy Ward of Trabuco Hills through most of the race. But Weber pulled away during the last 25 yards, winning in 1:51.74.

Ward was second at 1:52.10.

“That would have been horrible to win the 200 as a sophomore and junior and then lose as a senior,” Weber said. “Especially to a freshman. I think that’s what got me going in the last lap.”

Weber later won the 100 freestyle (53.52).

Brea-Olinda had eight girls and two relay teams reach the finals.

“You have to get as many swimmers into the finals so they can score in the top six places,” said Brea-Olinda Coach Phyllis Curry, whose team also won the 2-A title in 1987. “That’s the only way you can win a meet like this.”

And the Wildcats placed well in most events. Jennifer Kracik won the 200 individual medley (2:10.73) and was second in the 100 backstroke (1:00.21). The 400 freestyle relay team finished first.

Julie Martin of Kennedy was the only other double winner. She was first in the 100 butterfly (58.04) and 100 backstroke (59.99).

Martin’s sister, Kim, won the 500 freestyle (4:57.03) and was third in the 50 freestyle. Their performance gave Kennedy a fifth-place finish with 78 points.

In the 3-A girls’ championships, Los Alamitos’ overall depth helped it win the championship with 188 points. Hacienda Heights Wilson (155) was second, San Marino (106) third, El Dorado (105) fourth and Palm Springs (100) fifth.

In the boys’ 3-A meet, San Marino finished first with 186 points. Loyola (93) was second, Corona (86) and Los Altos (86) tied for third and Santa Monica (69) fifth. Two-time defending champion El Dorado was tied for eighth with Damien with 51 points.

Los Alamitos, which breezed through the Empire League this season, qualified eight individuals plus two relay teams for the finals.

The Griffins won just two events, but received strong performances from all their swimmers.

Stacy St. Martin won the 200 freestyle (1:52.03), edging Natalie Norberg of San Marino (1:52.04). St. Martin trailed throughout much of the race, but took the lead during the final 50 yards and held on to win.

St. Martin then finished third in the 500 freestyle (4:57.96), behind teammate Nicole Williamson (4:54.13) and Janet Evans of El Dorado (4:37.30), whose winning time was a national high school record.

Williamson also finished second in the 200 individual medley (2:06.30), losing again to Evans (2:00.72), whose time again was a national high school record.

“We got a second and third in the 500 and a second in the IM,” said Los Alamitos Coach Debbie Fleming, whose team finished second in last year’s meet to Hacienda Heights Wilson. “We had 10 girls swimming, eight in the finals. Marci Herron got a fifth in the 100 (freestyle) and a seventh in the 50 (freestyle). Those aren’t outstanding times, but it was 17 points for the team.”

Los Alamitos finished off the meet with a come-from-behind victory in the 400 freestyle relay.

La Canada led the race through the first 300 yards, but Williamson was able to bring the Griffins from a 2-second deficit to a near-2-second victory. Los Alamitos won in 3:39.55. San Marino (3:41.12) was second and La Canada (3:41.69) third.

“It’s sure great to have someone like Nicole swim the anchor in the free relay,” Fleming said. “She doesn’t get a lot of recognition because Janet Evans is in the same league, but she swam two senior national times tonight.”