Irvine’s Youth Dominates Section Relays

From the first race at the Southern Section Girls’ Swim Relays Saturday, it was obvious Irvine was going to cruise the entire night at Belmont Plaza Pool in Long Beach.

Led by Olympic-bound Amanda Beard and the strongest freshman class in the school’s history, Irvine was seeded No. 1 in seven of the eight events. The Vaqueros won five to finish with 260 points. El Toro was second with 188 and defending champion Fountain Valley third with 182.

Irvine showed its freshman strength early in winning the first relay event.

The freshman-only 400-yard individual medley relay team of Morgan Hoesterey, Romina Mosquera, Heidi Kraus and Beard dominated, winning the event in 4 minutes 5.92 seconds. Second-place El Toro was five seconds behind.

A freshman-only team--Mosquera, Heidi Kraus, Erin Lezak and Erin Zehntner--also won the 200 butterfly relay (1:53.32).

“It just worked out that way,” said Irvine Coach Scott Hinman, in reference to the freshman relay teams. “We have so many good freshmen this year, they just figured heavily in our plans, and the seniors were OK with it.”

Irvine’s veterans also contributed to the victory. Senior Wendy O’Brien, for instance, swam a 23.8 anchor split for 50 yards to help her 300 freestyle relay team of Lezak, Hammy Kim, Amy Aldinger, Zehntner and Lana Kraus win in 2:33.32.

“I think it’s awesome we have such good freshmen,” O’Brien said. “And as long as they help us win, I don’t care how many relay teams they swim on.”

O’Brien also was instrumental in the 200 medley relay, coming back to regain the lead and out-touching Vinessa Tjoa of Fountain Valley to win in 1:51.13. Aldinger, Beard and Zehntner completed the relay team.

Irvine also set a meet record in the 200 breaststroke relay.

Kim, Jenny Bullock, Hoesterey and Beard broke Capistrano Valley’s 13-year-old mark (2:07.32), winning in 2:07.01.

In the 200 backstroke, Mission Viejo’s Dominique Rash, Andrea Sargent, Christina Murphy and Karla Melendez won in 1:54.70.

Fountain Valley’s only victory came in the 400 freestyle relay. Jennifer McCoy held off a charging O’Brien to win for the Barons in 3:37.88.

In nonleague boys’ swimming:

Loyola 113, Laguna Hills 57--Despite victories by Delson Ting in the backstroke and Steve Poling in the breaststroke, Laguna Hills lost its first meet of the season.

In nonleague girls’ swimming:

Rosary 116, Coronado 64--Ablla Younis recorded a Southern Section standard time in the 500 freestyle of 5:18.8 and was part of three winning relay teams for Rosary (6-0).