San Clemente Backs Into Swim Title

The San Clemente High boys’ swim team won its first South Coast League title Friday, securing the victory at the finals at Lake Forest El Toro High by taking three of the top five spots in the third-to-last event, the 100-yard backstroke.

The Tritons, who finished the dual-meet season undefeated and ranked No. 1 by The Times, scored 411.5 points. Mission Viejo, ranked No. 2, was second with 365.5 points, and defending league champion Capistrano Valley was third with 335.5.

Kenny Yamamoto was the only winner for San Clemente, defending his titles in the 200 individual medley in 1 minute 55.06 seconds and the 100 backstroke in 53.05. Yamamoto, a junior, is one of several Tritons swimmers who led the water polo team to the Southern Section semifinals last fall.

San Clemente Coach Marc Parker said recent swim teams have also included several water polo players, but this season’s squad showed more commitment.

“It wasn’t that [the water polo players] weren’t talented enough in the past,” Parker said. “They just didn’t care.”

Capistrano Valley’s Pat Cary broke a two-year-old meet record in the 100 butterfly. He won in 50.42, edging Mission Viejo’s Devin Saez (50.43) and lowering the meet record of 50.49, set by Mission Viejo’s Juan Veloz.

Mission Viejo moved into second by taking the top two spots in the second-to-last event, the 100 breaststroke. Alejandro Jacobo defended his title in 58.56 and Paul Divan was second in 59.06.

San Clemente defended its girls’ title with the help of senior Kristen Caverly, who won the 200 freestyle (1:52.93) and 100 backstroke (57.50) and swam a 27.7 opening leg on the Tritons’ winning 200 medley relay (1:53.20).

The Tritons scored 477 points, Capistrano Valley was second (413) and El Toro third (338).

In track and field:

South Coast League finals--Matt Bruno of host Mission Viejo Trabuco Hills won the boys’ 100 meters in a wind-aided 10.33 seconds and the 200 in a career-best 21.22.

Bruno was slowed by a groin injury and tendinitis in his right foot earlier in the season. But his 100 clocking was the fastest of his career under any conditions and his 200 time cut .17 seconds off his previous best. It was also the second-fastest time in the state this year behind the 21.11 that Reggie Bush of La Mesa Helix ran to win the Arcadia Invitational on April 13.

Pacific View League finals--Phillip Reid of Oxnard Rio Mesa, the state leader in the boys’ 1,600 at 4:12.25, won that event in 4:25.75, the 3,200 in 9:37.25 and ran a 52.0-second leg on the victorious 1,600 relay team that timed 3:30.75 in the meet at Oxnard Hueneme.

Sea View League finals--Michelle Sanford leaped a wind-aided 42-51/2, best in the nation, to win the triple jump Thursday at Woodbridge.