Girls swimming: CdM, Mesa shine at the PCL prelims

Joseph Boo

CORONA DEL MAR - There were little, if any, surprises at Tuesday’s

Pacific Coast League girls swim preliminaries at Corona del Mar High.

That meant Corona del Mar and University put a fleet of swimmers in

Friday’s league championship and Costa Mesa junior Erin Bayes posted the

top qualifying time in the 50-yard freestyle with a 25.69, six hundredths

of a second behind her personal record. She has lost the 50 free only

once all year, when she was sixth at the Foothill Games. Bayes also

placed second in the 100 free (56.53).

If Bayes can win the 50 free Friday, she would go through the entire

league schedule without losing the event. Her top challenger, Uni’s Julie

Voorhees, placed disappointingly as the fourth seed. Voorhees owns this

year’s fastest mark in the PCL for the 50.

Another Mustang, Jody Martinovich turned in Tuesday’s most impressive

time. She shattered her PR by almost two seconds in the 500 free, getting

the top qualifying time in 5:27.74. Martinovich missed a PR in the 200

individual medley by .04 seconds, finishing as the third seed with a

2:18.06.

Her twin sister, Wendy, was fifth in the 200 IM (2:26.78) and second in

the 100 breaststroke (1:11.70). Bayes and the Martinovich twins are the

only Mesa swimmers to qualify for the championship finals.

“I’m real pleased about our swimmers,” Costa Mesa Coach Todd Kolber said.

“Erin won the 50 and was second in the 100, Jody won the 500, and Wendy

had a second-place finish. Those three swam well.”

CdM senior Lauren Powers led a Sea Kings’ contingent that qualified 23

swimmers for the championship finals. She got the No. 2 seed in the 200

IM ((2:17.27) and 100 butterfly (1:03.03).

Powers accounted for two of CdM’s four top three seeds. Sophomore Jessica

Fries placed third in the 500 free (5:53.22) and freshman Nicole

Hendrickson set a PR in the 100 butterfly with a 1:06.04, good for a

third seed.

The Sea Kings didn’t have one swimmer post the top time in an event, but

their depth was nevertheless impressive. Fries and Hendrickson both added

No. 7 seeds in the 200 free and 100 breaststroke, respectively.

Four more CdM freshmen were double qualifiers. Christina Hewko was fourth

in the 200 free (2:07.69) and the 100 backstroke (1:06.72). Brittney

Bowlus placed fifth in the 50 free (26.48) and sixth in the 100 free

(58.30). Heather Hapeman is the fourth seed in the 100 free (57.77) and

No. 6 in the 200 IM (2:27.47). Jackie McCoy was fourth in the 100

breaststroke (1:12.80) and seventh in the 50 free (26.89).

“We posted more good times than average times,” CdM Coach Doug Volding

said.

With all of its swimmers qualified in the championship and consolation

finals, CdM has a chance to challenge the Trojans, who blasted through

the PCL en route to an undefeated league season. Uni also put 23 swimmers

in the championship finals, with top qualifiers in four events.

“It seemed that every time we placed three swimmers in a race, they would

place three swimmers,” Volding said. “But it’s going to be a dogfight.

Our girls never stop trying.”

Two Estancia swimmers qualified for the consolation finals. Somer

Flaherty will swim in the 500 free and 100 breaststroke. Jennifer Cassity

was 13th in the 200 free. Friday’s league final is also at CdM, along

with the boys championship, startilng at 1 p.m.