Golden West Men Roll to State Swimming Title

Golden West continued its domination in the men’s division of the state swimming championship Saturday at Long Beach State.

The Rustlers won their second consecutive title with a meet-record 758.50 points. Diablo Valley was a distant second with 458 points.

In the women’s competition, Diablo Valley held off Orange Coast from the start, ending the Pirates’ string of consecutive state titles at seven.

Golden West’s men, however, got off to a good start, as Yan Gendlin dominated the 1,650-yard freestyle race, winning in 15 minutes 43.73 seconds. Todd Fulton (16:18.21) of Grossmont was second.

The Rustlers also got a victory from Scott Wester in the 100 free. He finished in 45.47, just ahead of Orange Coast’s Wisnu Wardhana (45.97).

Wester, who was honored as the top-point earner in the meet, won the 50 free Thursday and the 200 Friday.

Wardhana, who tied a state record with a 49.53 clocking in the 100 butterfly Friday, was selected outstanding male swimmer of the meet.

Golden West finished the meet with a victory in the 400 freestyle relay, as the Rustlers’ team of Carlo Franzia, David Payot, Stefan Moller and Wester finished in 3:07.45.

“I didn’t count on anything,” said Golden West Coach Bill Jewell, who earlier Saturday was selected men’s coach of the year. “I’m very happy right now. It was a very satisfying day.”

Saddleback’s Breno Nogueira won the 200 breaststroke in 2:09.61 and the Gauchos finished fifth with 197 points.

Orange Coast had hoped to make a strong run at Diablo Valley right away, but it was the Diablo Valley women’s team that took control in the first event, the 200 medley relay.

The Vikings won in 1:52.02, compiling 40 points. Orange Coast was second in 1:52.24 and earned 34. Diablo Valley then put the meet away by taking first and second in the 100 backstroke. Orange Coast’s Mona Khamis, who was the top finisher in the preliminaries, was third.

Orange Coast’s Carey Read came in first in the 100 breaststroke (1:08.32) and the Pirates closed the meet by winning the 200 freestyle relay.

Read won the 50 breaststroke Friday.

But Orange Coast was never able to recover from a disqualification on Thursday when a swimmer left early in the 400-medley relay preliminaries.

The Pirates were top-seeded in the event.

In Orange Empire Conference baseball:

Saddleback 11, Cypress 9--Saddleback finished second in conference after defeating host Cypress, which had already clinched the title. The Gauchos (16-13-1, 15-9) led, 7-1, after three innings and, 9-2, after six.