SOUTHERN SECTION 3-A SWIMMING CHAMPIONSHIPS : Brea-Olinda Girls Win Fourth Title in Six Years

Erica Dunn summed things up in two words: “We knew.”

Dunn and the rest of the Brea-Olinda High School girls’ swim team knew their time had come. After two years of languishing in the shadows at the Southern Section 3-A meet, the Wildcats came into the spotlight.

Brea, which finished second a year ago, dominated the 3-A meet Saturday at Belmont Plaza Pool. They finished with 173 points, 43 1/2 points ahead of second-place Trabuco Hills.

At the heart of the victory was Dunn, the team’s only senior. In addition to winning the 100 butterfly, she helped the Wildcats’ 200 medley and 400 freestyle relays to victory.

“We had everyone back from last year and a real good group of freshmen,” Dunn said. “We were ready to win it all.”

It was the fourth championship in the past six years for the Wildcats, who won three consecutive 2-A titles from 1986-88. They were moved up to 3-A in 1989.

Brea finished seventh in 1989, but Coach Phyllis Curry knew that was only a beginning.

“We had a really young team that year, so I felt we could do well on this level in a few years,” Curry said.

The team came of age this year. With a mixture of veterans and freshmen, the Wildcats took control of the meet from the start.

With six swimmers qualifying for 10 events, the Wildcats pulled away from the field. After five championship finals, they had 115 points.

“The girls who have been on the team for a couple of years really helped the freshmen get adjusted quicker,” Curry said. “Now, they’re like sisters and we have a lot of depth.”

The superior numbers were evident in the 100 butterfly. The Wildcats had three swimmers qualify for the championship final and another qualify for the consolation final.

Dunn, who finished second a year ago, won the event in 57.39. Teammates Sachi White, a freshman, finished second and Tracy Palmero, a junior, was third.

Freshman Robyn Kracik won the consolation championship, as the Wildcats scored 45 points in the event.

Debbie Weber was the only other individual winner for Brea. She finished first in the 100 breaststroke with a time of 1:07.29.

Amy Ward of Trabuco Hills won the 200 freestyle, edging defending 3-A champion Natalie Norberg of San Marino, who swam the second-fastest time in the Southern Section last year.

“I was really nervous before the race because Natalie is so good,” Ward said. “When they kept announcing that she was the defending champion, I started to get pumped up. I thought it would make it sound even better if I won.”

Ward, who won the 200 freestyle the past two years in 2-A, matched Norberg stroke for stroke through the first 150 yards, then pulled away. She finished in 1:48.85.

“I usually let the other person swim their race, but this time I wanted to take control,” Ward said. “I even kept one eye shut to so I wouldn’t watch Natalie.”

Ward also finished tied for second in the 100 freestyle with Meredith Booker of Beverly Hills.

In the boys’ competition, Santa Monica won the first three races and coasted to victory. The Vikings finished with 200 points, 61 ahead of second-place El Dorado.

Greg Milton of El Dorado won the 50 and 100 freestyles. His time of 21.04 in the 50 was only .33 seconds off the 3-A record. Milton swam a 45.78 in the 100, which was just .47 off the record. Larry Felix of El Dorado won the 100 backstroke with time of 53.70.

Kevin Hendricks of Santa Margarita broke his own record of 58.40 in the 100 breaststroke, which he set in the preliminaries. He finished with a time of 57.59.