SWIMMING PREVIEW : Gilman, Nichols Set to Spar

OXNARD — When Buena High freshman Rebecca Gilman swam to an easy victory in the Southern Section Division I 500-yard freestyle last May, her toughest competition was more than a few yards behind her.

Try about 6,000 miles.

The same weekend Gilman won two individual events and led the Bulldogs to the Division I team title, Rio Mesa’s Sarah Nichols was in Paris, competing in a select United States Junior National team event.

The previous weekend, Nichols defeated Gilman in the 500- and 200-yard freestyles in the Channel League finals, breaking league records that had stood for 15 years.

But Nichols’ commitment to the national team forced her to miss the Division I championships at Belmont Plaza in Long Beach--and another showdown with Gilman.

This season, Nichols’ schedule for May 11, the date of this year’s Division I championships, is clear, and she’s looking forward to competing for the titles that last season went to Gilman.

“Going to Paris last year was one of the best experiences of my life but I still missed not being here,” Nichols said. “One of the first things I heard when I came back was how well Rebecca did.”

Considered two of the best high school distance swimmers in the nation, Nichols and Gilman compete at more than the local level.

They live only a few miles apart and have formed a friendship that has grown through several national meets, including the U.S. National Indoor championships, being held this week in Minneapolis.

Nichols used to be consistently faster, but over the past year Gilman has narrowed the margin.

“For a while she was beating me all the time, but we’ve both felt the pressure more from coaches than each other,” Gilman said. “I hear, ‘beat Sarah’, she hears ‘beat Rebecca.’ It might be tough on each other if we didn’t get along.”

Nichols, a junior, might have a temporary advantage heading into this high school season as Gilman has been slowed by tendinitis in her shoulder. But Nichols’ times slowed earlier this year because of a new program and a new club coach, Mike Sullivan.

TEAMS TO WATCH

* Buena: Although the defending Division I girls’ champions lost several strong swimmers to graduation the Bulldogs have enough talented newcomers to repeat. Junior Erin Schatz, a transfer from Agoura, finished fourth in the 200-yard individual medley and second in the 100 backstroke last year.

Freshman Nicole Beck, who finished sixth in the 200-meter backstroke at the U.S. National Indoor Championships on Wednesday, and sophomore Liah Kim combine with Gilman and Schatz to form a record-breaking relay team.

On the boys’ side, divers Justin and Troy Dumas are two of the best in the area.

* Crescenta Valley: Coach Pete Loporchio thinks the boys’ team can match the success of the past two seasons. Crescenta Valley won the Division II title in 1993 and finished second, behind Loyola, last year.

Senior Jeff Robb already has qualified in the 50 and 100 freestyles. Senior Ken Jones and sophomore Steve Kim can keep the Falcons among the top five Division II teams.

* Harvard-Westlake: The Wolverines are the defending Division III girls’ champions. Juniors Helicia Paz (seventh in 100 butterfly, eighth in 500 freestyle), Kristen Olsen (eighth in 200 individual medley, 10th in 100 freestyle) and Emily Dashiell (12th in 50 freestyle) teamed with Alexis Larsen, now at USC, to win two relays.

* Hart: The Indians have won 48 consecutive girls’ Foothill League dual meets. Sophomore Monica Oleksyn set a Division II record in winning the 100-yard backstroke.

* Birmingham: Over the past two seasons, junior Gretchen Ballard has won four different events at the City championships.

Seniors Chris Wilson (first in 100-yard butterfly) and Freed Elcott (first in 100 breaststroke) lead the boys’ team.