SOUTHERN SECTION 2-A SWIMMING CHAMPIONSHIPS : Laguna Hills Expects Challenge from Walnut

Drew Maness, boys’ swim coach at Laguna Hills High School, is hoping for a less stressful finish in the Southern Section 2-A championships today. But he knows it’s not likely.

A year ago, the Hawks came from behind to win the final race, the 400-yard freestyle relay, to edge Walnut for the title.

And Maness expects much the same this year. The Hawks will attempt to win their second consecutive title here today in the 2-A championships at the Belmont Plaza Pool.

“It’s going to come down to the end again this year,” said Maness, the Hawks’ second-year coach. “We have almost everyone back and so does Walnut. Hopefully, we’ll have the same outcome.”

Laguna Hills, which finished third in 1989, is led by juniors Chad Carvin and Shuichi Matsumato.

Carvin won the 200 freestyle last year and finished second in the 500 freestyle. Matsumato won the 200 individual medley and was third in the 100 backstroke.

Laguna Hills again is expected to dominate the 500 freestyle. Also returning are senior Bryan Stoeckel, who finished third last year, and junior Ian Gilbert, who finished seventh.

But the Hawks don’t rely solely on individual performances. They are also strong in the relays, which propelled them to victory last year.

The 400 freestyle team set a 2-A record with a time of 3 minutes 12.54 seconds. Three of those four swimmers will swim it again this year: Carvin, Matsumato and Stoeckel. The Hawks should also do well in the 200 medley relay and the 200 freestyle relay, which is new to high school swimming this year.

“I think the extra relay is going to help us a lot,” Maness said. “We have the depth to score in all three relays.”

As does Walnut, which returns five swimmers who reached the finals or consolation finals last season. The best of that group is sophomore Jeff Julian, who won the 100 butterfly.

Junior Dan Miles, who finished fourth in the 200 IM and sixth in the 500 freestyle, also returns.

“We have a lot of good young swimmers, so hopefully we’ll be around for a couple years,” Maness said. “But Walnut has a bunch of good young swimmers, too. I imagine it’ll be between us again next year.”