Mesa’s wait is worth it

Bryce Alderton

The Costa Mesa High boys 400-yard freestyle relay team did what it

could to, but a bit of luck was needed to secure its place in the CIF

Southern Section Division III record books at the conclusion of

Saturday’s championship finals at Belmont Plaza.

The quartet of seniors Adam Douglas and Evan Spencer, along with

freshman James Fowler and junior Kyle Thorsness, knocked nearly two

seconds off their preliminary time and finished in 3 minutes, 16.85

seconds in the final event.

It appeared the Mustang team would finish second to Murrieta

Valley, which finished in 3:12.85.

But there was a problem.

Murrieta Valley’s second swimmer jumped in a tad early,

disqualifying the Nighthawks and giving the title to Costa Mesa.

“I feel bad, but happy,” said Douglas, who swam the final leg in

47.74, the quickest 100 of the team. “I swam as hard as I could,

looked straight ahead and didn’t care where [Murrieta’s Sean Boyle]

was.”

Thorsness swam leadoff and raced to the lead in 47.94 followed by

Fowler, Spencer and Douglas. The Mustangs, Golden West League

champions in the event, were third halfway through in 1:40.37 before

Spencer and Douglas made up time in the final 200 yards. Fowler said

he slipped off the block and touched Thorsness’ feet while diving

into the pool.

Mesa earned 40 points with the relay win and secured fourth place

with 152 points. Murrieta Valley won the boys title with 258 points.

Thorsness said they started swimming the event at the Foothill

Games in April after teaming up in the 200 medley relay earlier this

season.

“It was all adrenaline,” Thorsness said. “I have never been that

pumped up before.”

Spencer, Fowler, Thorsness and Douglas took second in the 200 free

relay in 1:29.66. Murrieta Valley clinched first in 1:27.14.

Several swimmers from both Costa Mesa and Estancia dropped times,

including Douglas, the league champion in the 100 and 200 freestyle.

He finished third in both events, in 47.82 and 1:44.45, respectively,

in the finals, both personal bests.

Douglas said he started swimming the 200 free in a nonleague dual

meet against Orange Lutheran last month. Prior to that, he said he

last raced in the event two years ago.

“[Douglas’ finals finish] says a lot about his character,” Mesa

Coach Tim Postiff said.

Thorsness finished fourth in both the 100 free (47.92) and 50 free

(21.93), shaving time off each race while Estancia freshman Shea Kopp

placed fourth in the girls 100 backstroke (1:01.23) and fifth in the

50 free (25.03).

Estancia’s girls 200 free relay team of Kopp, freshman Meagan

Kunert, junior Carolina Barnes and sophomore Sydney Barloon finished

fourth in 1:44.20, beating their prelim time by more than half a

second.

Spencer, who, along with Thorsness, swim club for Golden West,

finished sixth in the 100 butterfly in 53.33. Last year he placed

ninth in the event here.

Estancia junior Andrew Fassari clocked a personal best 57.73 en

route to an 11th-place showing in the boys 100 backstroke in his

first CIF finals appearance. Eagles’ boys coach John Carpenter said

Fassari averaged 1:03 earlier in the month, but credited the junior’s

work ethic and positive attitude.

Kunert knocked nearly two seconds off her prelim time, placing

13th in the girls 500 free (5:32.44) while teaming with Barloon,

Susan Cloud, and Kopp for 12th in the girls 200 medley relay.

Spencer, who plans to swim and play water polo at the University of

the Pacific next year, placed 14th in the boys 200 IM (2:06.05).

The aura of the CIF finals made some swimmers nervous, but the

majority agreed that the intensity was beneficial.

“The competition helps you go faster,” said Kopp, disappointed

with her time in the 100 back. She managed to keep the event in

perspective. “I had didn’t have any expectations except to have a

good time.”

Estancia’s girls placed 13th with 71 points.