Luddy Leads Mission Viejo Rally

Bo Luddy’s victory in the 100 butterfly helped spark a Mission Viejo rally as the Diablos’ boys’ team beat top-ranked Irvine and Clovis West in their triangular swim meet Thursday at Heritage Aquatic Complex in Irvine.

“We started the meet off sluggish and we just didn’t seem to be with it,” Mission Viejo Coach Mike Pelton said. “But Bo’s win was the big turning point for us. It gave us a big boost that we needed.”

Luddy won the event in 53.40 seconds.

Mission Viejo beat Irvine, 89-81, and Clovis West, 119-51.

Mission Viejo junior Diogo Bezera came back in the last 15 yards of the 100 backstroke to overtake Gonny Shimura of Irvine to win in a Southern Section-qualifying time of 53.32. Teammate Scott Davison won the 500 freestyle in 4:48.70.

Mission Viejo won five events, including the 200 freestyle relay in a county-best time of 1:30.81. The relay team was composed of Matt Kelleher, Bezera, Matt Feeney and Evan Ray.

Though Irvine lost to Mission Viejo, its 200 medley relay team of Shimura, Daniel Kim, Eric Birkelbach and Chris Lopez posted the fastest time this season, winning the event in 1:39.06.

In the girls’ events, Irvine routed No. 2 Mission Viejo (130-40) and Clovis West (115-55).

“No one can touch those girls,” said Clovis West Coach Steve Baxter, whose team beat Mission Viejo, 118-52. “We did pretty good against Mission, but Irvine, they’re just way above everybody else. They have so much depth. Their B team swimmers would be starters on some teams.”

Olympian Amanda Beard swam the 100 breaststroke for the first time this season, turning in a county-best time of 1:04.98. Beard also won the 200 individual medley (2:07.13). Irvine freshman Leslie Christiansen won the 50 (24.80) and 100 freestyles (53.80) and teammate Krista Little took first in the 100 butterfly with a time of 58.17.

In Sunset League boys’ swimming:

No. 8 Los Alamitos 94, No. 9 Marina 92--After losing to Marina by one point in the Long Beach Wilson invitational Wednesday night, Los Alamitos (3-0) came back to win Thursday, led by John Hanna, who won the 200 freestyle (1:50.83) and the 500 freestyle (4:54.09).

In nonleague girls’ swimming:

No. 4 Fountain Valley 148, No. 5 Capistrano Valley 141, Foothill 91--Ashley Stachowski won the 200 freestyle (2:00.01), 100 backstroke (1:02.54) and anchored the winning 200 freestyle relay team for Capistrano Valley (7-1).