BEYOND THE BOX SCORE:OCC men’s swim team claims second straight title

FREMONT — The Orange Coast College men’s swim team won its second straight state championship and fifth in school history on Saturday at Ohlone College.

The Pirates won a pair of relays and five individual events, including a pair from both Joe Krone and Damien Bernard during the three-day competition. OCC’s Anthony Iacopetti was named the state’s Coach of the Year for the second straight time.

Krone won the 200-yard backstroke Saturday in 1 minute, 52.47 seconds. He was also the state champ in the 100 back (51.21). Bernard won the 100 breastroke in 57.30 seconds Friday and the 200 individual medley in 1:52.22 on Thursday.

Bernard, Adam Jones, Josh Knight and Greg Hulse were victorious in the 200 medley relay (1:33.79). Krone, Bernard, Knight and Hulse became state champions in the 400 medley relay (3:27.07).

On Saturday, Jimmy Cule finished second in the 1,650 freestyle (16:22.91), Knight took second in the 200 butterfly (1:52.33). Jones was third in the 200 back (1:57.13).

The Pirates scored 601 points, while second-place Ventura finished with 530. OCC’s Justin Taylor won the 1-meter diving event with 418.35 points and was named state’s Co-Diver of the Year. The Pirates’ Bryan Franzen was named the state’s Diving Coach of the Year.

The OCC women’s team, the defending state champion, finished fourth with 298 points. Diablo Valley won with 443.

Nikki Burrelli won the 3-meter diving event and was named the state’s Diver of the Year.

— From staff reports