FOOTHILL SWIM GAMES : Jacob’s Sprint Debut Goes Swimmingly; She Sets Record in 100 Freestyle

Lisa Jacob’s debut as a high school sprinter Saturday went rather well.

Jacob, a senior at Capistrano Valley, took a break from her middle-distance specialty at the Foothill Swim Games and made the transition with little difficulty. She set a meet record in the 100-yard freestyle and won the 50 freestyle.

Her performance earned her the girls’ swimmer of the meet award. However, it didn’t help the Cougars overcome El Toro’s depth.

The Chargers dominated the meet with 291 points, finishing well ahead of second-place Fountain Valley (186). Capistrano Valley was third with 172 points.

El Toro also won the boys’ competition with 233 points. Foothill was second with 184.

But it was Jacob, who specializes in the 200 freestyle, who made the big splash.

“We just wanted to see if she could do the sprints,” Capistrano Valley Coach Bob Skelly said. “She is such a great competitor.”

She had to be.

Jacob had to beat El Toro’s Michelle Perry, the defending Southern Section 4-A champion, in the 100 freestyle. She did, eclipsing Christy Carolin’s meet record in the process. Carolin, also from Capistrano Valley, set the record in 1990 with a time of 52.61. Jacob’s time was 51.89.

Perry also went faster than Carolin’s mark with a time of 52.01.

“I didn’t know until Tuesday that Coach Skelly had entered me in the sprints,” Jacob said. “It’s really not much different for me mentally. I still go in with the same attitude, trying to win.”

Jacob won the 50 freestyle in 24.49.

“I’d much rather swim the 50 than the 500,” Jacob said. “It’s over faster.”

Neither Jacob nor Skelly has decided whether she will try the sprints at the 4-A meet. All they know for sure is she will swim the 200 freestyle.

Jacob nearly made the Olympic team in the 200 freestyle. In the prelims at the Olympic trials, her time of 2:00.88 was less than a second off the eventual qualifying time. She swam a 2:01.27 in the final.

“She’s just a great, great swimmer,” Skelly said.

While Jacob starred individually, El Toro did it with numbers.

Perry was the only Charger to win an individual event, dominating the 100 breaststroke (1:06.39). She is the defending 4-A champion in the event and finished more than four seconds ahead of second-place Jennifer Blasi of Villa Park.

El Toro had at least one swimmer in every championship final except the 500 freestyle. The Chargers also won the 200- and 400-freestyle relays.

Their 200 freestyle team of Robyn Loewes, Dana Rock, A.J. Waters and Tracy Wilson set the meet record with a time of 1:42.53. Edison held the old record of 1:43.64, set in 1991.

“We’ve always been known for our depth,” El Toro Coach Sheri Ross said. “Everyone is an integral part of this team. We’re like a family.”

The boys’ team also played the numbers game to come away with the victory. But they received a strong individual performance from John Simmons, who was named boys’ swimmer of the meet.