Girls swimming: Costa Mesa’s Mt. Rushmore

Joseph Boo

COSTA MESA - Last year, Erin Bayes, Katie Roche and the identical

twins of Jody and Wendy Martinovich carried Costa Mesa High’s girls swim

team. This year, it will be more of the same.

“Those (four) will carry a lot of our team’s weight,” Costa Mesa Coach

Todd Kolber said.

Two dual meets into the 2000 season, Bayes, a junior, already guaranteed

a spot in the CIF Southern Section preliminaries in the 50 and 100-yard

freestyle sprints, repeating her performance last year. She was the

runner-up in the Pacific Coast League in the 50, and she was third in the

100.

Junior Jody Martinovich qualified for CIF in a staggering five events

last year, competing in the 200 and 500 freestyle races. She also had her

choices of the 100 freestyle, 100 breaststroke and 200 individual medley.

Her sister Wendy qualified for the second year in a row in the 100

breaststroke. She also qualified in the 200 IM last year, but Kolber said

she will swim whatever event Mesa needs help in.

Roche is doubly dangerous in the 100 and 200 freestyles, coming close to

qualifying last year.

Junior Dana Steenhard has stepped up in Mesa’s first two dual meets this

year, both wins. She competes in the 100 butterfly and 200 IM. Frances

Assal and Candice Carpenter have also impressed so far.

“They held their own in the pool so far,” Kolber said.

Junior Vicki Nigorizawa competes in the 200 and 500 freestyles. She

finished second in both events in a dual meet against Huntington Beach.

Sophomore Megan Devey swims in the same two events.

Roster

Frances Assal Jr.

Erin Bayes Jr.

Candice Carpenter So.

Megan Devey So.

Jody Martinovich Jr.

Wendy Martinovich Jr.

Lauryn Mayo Sr.

Vicki Nigorizawa Sr.

Shirley Peng So.

Katie Roche Sr.

Dana Steenhard Jr.

Megan Yenny Jr.

Coach: Todd Kolber