Glendale’s Julian wins fourth CIF title in finals finale
Trenton Julian decided to try something new at this year’s CIF Southern Section Division II Swimming Championships, but the result was simply more of the same of what’s come to be expected from the Glendale High senior.
The reigning 200-yard freestyle champion traded in that event for the 200-individual medley on Saturday at the Riverside Aquatics Complex and won in an All-American automatic time of 1 minute 47.35 seconds.
“I just wanted to post a new time up for the 200 IM,” Julian said. “I haven’t swam that in a long time.”
Julian nearly posted a new division record in the 200 IM, missing the 2015 mark set by Lakewood’s Daniel McArthur by just .44 seconds.
“I really wanted to go for that,” Julian said. “I felt a lot better than I thought, especially going out. I think I just couldn’t handle coming back all the way. I’m trying to get back in shape.”
Julian attempted to defend his title in the 100 butterfly, but finished runner-up to South Pasadena’s Jacob Mullin (47.79) in a time of 48.13.
“I think I rushed it a little too much,” Julian said. “I was thinking I felt good, trying to go out smooth and I think coming back I just tried to rush my arms to the water and I wasn’t getting much out of it.”
Julian qualified for the CIF State meet May 20-21 in Clovis, but said he doesn’t plan to attend.
“I don’t think I’ll go,” Julian said. “I’m going to get ready to go into long-course season and try to go to world champion trials and see what I can do there.”
Julian, the two-time reigning All-Area Boys’ Swimmer of the Year and the 2016 James H. Jenkins Glendale News-Press Boys’ Athlete of the Year, won four CIF titles in his decorated Nitros career.
La Cañada’s boys’ 200-medley relay team of Danny Syrkin, Eddie Cosic, Thomas Hoffman and Luke Stefan appeared to have won a title, but the Spartans’ celebration was short-lived as they were disqualified for an early start on the butterfly leg.
“The official said one of our guys left early off the blocks,” La Cañada Coach David Hill said. “It was very surprising because it looked to me and the other coaches nearby that there was a good exchange between Eddie and Thomas. We were told we are not allowed to dispute disqualifications. It’s upsetting because those four guys worked so hard throughout the season just to get here.”
Syrkin, a freshman, came back to place third in the 100 fly in a state and All-American automatic 48.76 before teaming with Stefan, Hoffman and Cosic to place fourth in the 200-free relay in a state-consideration time of 1:26.52.
Syrkin finished second in the 200 freestyle consolation race in a state-consideration mark of 1:42.09.
“I thought we definitely had a great season and we have a pretty young team,” said Hill, whose Spartans finished 13th in the team scoring with 73 points. “We got a lot of great experience. We have a very bright future.”
Crescenta Valley’s William Blake turned in a solid double with a fourth-place finish in the 200 free in a state-consderation 1:41.29 and sixth in the 500 free in a state-consideration 4:36.26.
Gabriela Icheva of Crescenta Valley won the consolation championship in the 100 breaststroke with a state-consideration mark of 1:06.31. Icheva was second in the 200 IM consolation, garnering another state consideration with a swim of 2:06.68.
Crescenta Valley’s Kimmy Park took fourth in the 100 free consolation with a swim of 53.64.
The Falcons’ 200 freestyle relay of Park, Yvette Kim, Miranda Li and Alex Garas was seventh in 1:42.23 in the consolation final. The quartet of Icheva, Garas, Miya Higuchi and Park finished third in the 400 free relay consolation in 3:36.44, which was a state consideration mark.
Elsewhere for the Crescenta Valley boys, sophomores Justin Sheen (59.21) and Andre Yarcan (59.31) finished back-to-back in third and fourth, respectively, in the consolation final of the 100 breaststroke. Both swimmers earned state consideration times.