Six sweet for Mesa boys

LAGUNA BEACH — After the Costa Mesa High boys’ swim team clinched its second straight Orange Coast League championship Wednesday at Laguna Beach High, there was the obligatory leap into the pool and “Me-sa, Me-sa” chanting.

But, after a few minutes on the sidelines, talk quickly turned from split times to sleeping and snacks.

The Mustangs will get to sleep in today as a reward, senior Sam Edman explained. Fellow senior Skyler Twohig said Mesa also gets to eat more protein again after dieting for the past three days. Another teammate could be heard talking about ordering a “5x5” burger at In-N-Out, consisting of five buns and meat patties.

Any perk given to the boys was well-earned, after Costa Mesa won its expected battle with Laguna Beach, compiling 380.5 points to the Breakers’ 333.5. On the girls’ side, Laguna Beach topped Costa Mesa, 406 points to 380.

Estancia finished third in both boys’ and girls’ competition.

For the Costa Mesa boys, it’s their sixth straight league championship, including four in the Golden West League from 2003 through 2006.

“It’s due to our great swim coaches and our seniors,” said junior Dustin Serrano, who finished second in the 500-yard freestyle and was on each of the winning freestyle relay teams. “We’re going to miss these guys next year. And it’s our depth, all the younger guys stepping up.”

Edman, one of three seniors for the Mesa boys, along with Twohig and James Fowler, also stepped up. He repeated as league champion in the 200 free and 500 free in personal-record times of 1 minute, 45.53 seconds and 4:52.25, respectively.

Mesa junior Travis Wright swam a strong third leg on each free relay, pulling the Mustangs even or ahead. Edman then anchored both winning free relays, out-touching Laguna Beach’s Preston Head each time. Prior to the 400 free relay, the Mustangs had already won the meet, but Edman anchored in a blazing split of 47.55 seconds.

“We didn’t have to win that relay to win the meet, but it was just nice to put the icing on the cake,” Costa Mesa Coach Patty Smith said. “That was a lot of fun.”

Chingiz Bigalimov also won the 100 breast for the Mustangs, in 1:09.75. Estancia senior Jeff Crosson had the strongest day for the Eagles boys, finishing second in the 100 back in 59.61 seconds and third in the 100 free (51.31). Both times are personal-records.

“I was hoping to go to CIF, but I can’t complain about a personal-best,” Crosson said.

On the girls’ side, the Mustangs were hoping to defend their title, but Laguna Beach proved too tough. The Breakers won the first four events before Mesa junior Andrea Beyaoju won the 100 butterfly. The only girls’ winner for either Costa Mesa or Estancia, Beyaoju also won the 100 breast for the second straight year, with a personal-record time of 1:11.68.

Smith said senior Patricia Marty’s time of 1:04.69 in the fly, which placed second, was also a personal-best.

“I kind of figured the girls wouldn’t pull it off, but they gave it a valiant effort,” Smith said. “Laguna Beach ended up beating us by less than I had predicted.”

Estancia senior Shea Kopp, who had won league three straight years in the girls’ 100 backstroke, finished second to Andrea Reigel of Laguna Beach in that event Wednesday. Kopp was also a close second in the 50 free, when she was out-touched by Laguna Beach’s Annika Dries.

“[The 50 free] is such a sketchy race,” Kopp said with a grin. “Anyone can win that race ... This was just an off-meet. It just didn’t have the same feel, and I couldn’t tell you why that is. I just have to redeem myself at CIF, hopefully.”

Estancia senior Meagan Kunert was second in the 500 free. Edman has also qualified for CIF in the 200 and 500 free.

Orange Coast League finals

BOYS

Team: 1. Costa Mesa, 380.5; 2. Laguna Beach, 333.5; 3. Estancia, 219; 4. Calvary Chapel, 61.

200 medley relay – 1. Costa Mesa (C. Serrano, Briand, Twohig, Fowler), 1:50.09.

200 free – 1. Edman (CM), 1:45.53; 2. Roe (CC), 1:46.68; 3. McConnel (LB), 1:48.20.

200 IM – 1. Masson (LB), 2:12.07; 2. O’Connor (CM), 2:14.23; 3. Lux (CM), 2:17.18.

50 free – 1. Roe (CC), 22.54; 2. Head (LB), 22.63; 3. Wright (CM), 22.83.

100 fly – 1. Roe (CC), 54.46; 2. Twohig (CM), 58.11; 3. Chen (LB), 59.73.

100 free – 1. Head (LB), 49.11; 2. C. Serrano (CM), 50.69; 3. Crosson (E), 51.31.

500 free – 1. Edman (CM), 4:52.25; 2. D. Serrano (CM), 4:57.95; 3. McConnel (LB), 5:04.12.

200 free relay – 1. Costa Mesa (Fowler, D. Serrano, Wright, Edman), 1:32.48.

100 back – 1. Roe (CC), 55.03; 2. Crosson (E), 59.61; 3. C. Serrano (CM), 1:00.87.

100 breast – 1. Bigalimov (CM), 1:09.75; 2. Briand (CM), 1:10.78; 3. Dodson (LB), 1:11.04.

400 free relay – 1. Costa Mesa (C. Serrano, D. Serrano, Wright, Edman), 3:20.66.

GIRLS

Team: 1. Laguna Beach, 406; 2. Costa Mesa, 380; 3. Estancia, 284.

200 medley relay – 1. Laguna Beach, 1:54.72.

200 free – 1. Wild (LB), 1:57.99; 2. Dodson (LB), 2:03.41; 3. Capobianco (LB), 2:04.27.

200 IM – 1. Reigel (LB), 2:08.79; 2. Nuñez (CM), 2:29.30; 3. Speer (CM), 2:31.57.

50 free – 1. Dries (LB), 25.20; 2. Kopp (E), 25.27; 3. Schulman (LB), 26.05.

100 fly – 1. Beyaoju (CM), 1:02.01; 2. Marty (CM), 1:04.69; 3. Holecheck (LB), 1:08.92.

100 free – 1. Dries (LB), 55.23; 2. Dodson (LB), 56.72; 3. Schulman (LB), 57.18.

500 free – 1. Wild (LB), 5:16.73; 2. M. Kunert (E), 5:35.22; 3. Holecheck (LB), 5:48.04.

200 free relay – 1. Laguna Beach, 1:45.48.

100 back – 1. Reigel (LB), 59.18; 2. Kopp (E), 1:00.29; 3. H. Kunert (E), 1:05.38.

100 breast – 1. Beyaoju (CM), 1:11.68; 2. Speer (CM), 1:12.32; 3. Decker (CM), 1:16.61.

400 free relay – 1. Laguna Beach, 3:47.01.

MATT SZABO may be reached at (714) 966-4614 or by e-mail at [email protected].