Irvine Girls Romp in Showdown

Any doubts concerning the strength of the Irvine girls’ swimming team were erased Thursday in a 104-66 Sea View League victory over host Laguna Hills.

Led by two-event winner Stephanie Hsiao, who also anchored two victorious relay teams, Orange County’s top-ranked squad thwarted any notion the second-ranked Hawks had of mounting a challenge.

“It was our best meet of the season,” Irvine Coach Scott Hinman said. “In the past we had a tendency to drift off mentally in the later events. We showed some real consistency today.”

The Vaqueros (7-0, 3-0) opened the meet by winning the 200 individual medley relay in 1 minute 54.21 seconds. Hsiao, who covered the freestyle portion of the medley in 24.0, won the 200 freestyle in 2:07.4 and the 100 freestyle in 53.61.

Last week, Shauna Barnard suffered a sprained right ankle in a minor traffic accident. But the Laguna Hills junior erased any concerns about her fitness by winning the 100 backstroke (1:00.4) and the 500 freestyle in 5:09.26.

“I thought [the ankle injury] would affect her,” Laguna Hills Coach Carrie Pardoe said. “She wore a brace during the relay and had a bad split, but took it off for the 500 and swam real well.”

Lindsey Buck gave the Hawks (7-2, 2-1) a win in the 100 butterfly (59.9) for their only other victory.

Irvine’s Lesley Christiansen won the 50 free (25.27) and freshman Sarah Hamilton finished first in the 100 breaststroke (1:09.61). Also posting victories for the Vaqueros were the 200 freestyle relay team (1:44.63) and the 400 free relay team (3:39.41), also anchored by Hsiao.

The Irvine boys’ team (7-0, 3-0), also ranked No. 1 in the county, had little trouble with Laguna Hills in its 121-50 victory.

Jeff Natalizio missed last weekend’s Foothill Swim Games to tour the Rutgers campus. The Vaquero senior showed no signs of fatigue in winning the 100 breaststroke (1:07.56) and 200 freestyle (1:50.2). Gerald Shapiro won the 100 backstroke (57.84) and freshman Nate Puksta was first in the 500 freestyle (5:09.5)

“I kind of surprised myself,” said Puksta, who swam 58.09 on the first leg. “This is only the second time I’ve ever swam this and I shave six or seven seconds off my last time.”

Greg Kwok of Laguna Hills (4-5, 1-3) won the 50 freestyle (23.4) and 100 free (49.66.)

“He’s been swimming his whole life, he’s very experienced and is not going to be intimidated in this kind of setting,” Hawk Coach Blake Corbin said.