CdM saves best for JV

Bryce Alderton

What Corona del Mar High’s boys varsity swim team lacked in

participation at the Pacific Coast League finals Friday was more than

made up for at the junior varsity level.

CdM’s varsity squad finished in last place with 144 points out of

the five teams competing in the CdM pool. University won the title

with 616.

CdM varsity coach Tim Salvino inserted his “faster” swimmers on

the junior varsity level for Friday’s finals and they responded with

669 points to win the division.

“My main goal was to have the kids swim their best times and

qualify for CIF,” Salvino said.

The best a CdM varsity swimmer fared was third place -- in the

consolation finals. Gregory Meyer clocked a 2:06.95 in the 200-yard

freestyle while Chad March finished the 100 backstroke in 1:10.63.

Thomas Pearson in the 200 individual medley (2:26.83) and Hunter

Sheetz in the 100 breaststroke (1:18.66) each finished in fourth

place for CdM’s varsity team in the consolation finals.

Three relay teams from CdM’s junior varsity team earned CIF

consideration. James Strack, Artie Dorr, Jason DiRocco and John Money

clocked a 1:35.86 in the 200 free relay while Daniel Niehenke,

Benjamin Sanders, Beau Stockstill and Scott Sanford swam to a 1:35.48

in the consolation final of the same event. CdM’s JV team of Bryan

Buhagiar, Niehenke, Money and Sanford raced to a 3:33.86 in the 400

free relay, setting a league finals record.

Earlier in the meet, Buhagiar set a meet JV record in the 100 back

(57.90).

Robert Fries in the 200 IM (2:14.12), Niehenke in the 100 free

(51.97) and Strack -- the two-time defending league varsity champion

in the 500 free -- in the 50 free (23.36) all set meet records as

well.

Strack said he hadn’t trained for the 500 all season.