SOUTHERN SECTION 4-A SWIMMING : Foothill Girls Making Their Own Splash

A year ago, Tom DeLong coached the Foothill High School boys’ swim team to the top. That Southern Section 4-A title by the Knights ended Mission Viejo’s 14-year reign as champions.

This year, DeLong would like a repeat of that--only this time from his girls’ team.

The Knights’ girls are among the favorites in the 4-A meet tonight at the Belmont Plaza Pool, starting at 7 o’clock. El Toro, Mission Viejo and Fountain Valley are expected to be Foothill’s main challengers.

“This is a big chance for us,” DeLong said. “We have some strong senior swimmers, so I think we have a good chance.”

He said this is the best girls’ team in Foothill’s history, and that’s saying something since he has coached at Foothill for 25 years.

“We’ve been telling the girls it’s their turn this year,” DeLong said. “The boys won last year, so we’re calling it deja vu this year. At least, we hope we’ll be calling it that.”

A Foothill title would be its first in girls’ swimming since 1974. The girls also won in 1972. Since 1976, the 4-A girls’ title has been won by South Coast League teams, with Mission Viejo taking it from 1976-86 and Capistrano Valley the past three years. The closest the Knights came was in 1979, when they finished second. They have finished no higher than third since.

The Knights’ chances are built around four swimmers.

Sionainn Marcoux set school records in the 200 and 500 freestyle; Laura Ellison did the same in the 100 backstroke, and Megan Logan set a school mark in the 200 individual medley. Those three also teamed with Heather Marks to set the school record in the 400 freestyle relay.

Of the top teams, El Toro appears to have the best depth. The Chargers won the Southern Section relays this season, rallying to edge Foothill. El Toro’s top swimmers include Kendel Mueller, Erin Pyka and Michelle Perry.

Mission Viejo, which finished second a year ago, is led by Katrina Triska and Claudia Franco. Fountain Valley features Michelle Ham and Julie Vogt.

Capistrano Valley, the defending champion, might have impact in the meet. The Cougars were down this year, but scored 36 points in the diving competition Wednesday and have Christy Carolin, one of the top sprinters in the Southern Section.

In the boys’ competition, Capistrano Valley and Mission Viejo are rated the two top teams, with Villa Park and El Dorado a notch below.

Capistrano Valley defeated Mission Viejo in a South Coast League dual meet this season, only to forfeit the victory because it had changed its lineup in both the 200 medley and 400 freestyle relays between the time the meet rosters were turned in and the event was run.

Capistrano routed Mission Viejo in the league championship meet three weeks later, and is led by Kevin Eggert, Ryan Cox and Paul Felton. Mission Viejo is led by Tsukasas Kawabuchi, Eric Diehl and Matt Turnbull.

Capistrano Valley scored 16 points in Wednesday’s diving, Mission Viejo 12.

Gavin Arroyo and Gary Larson are Villa Park’s top swimmers; Greg Milton and Kyle Utsumi El Dorado’s.