Chavez Paces Esperanza Boys’ Victory

Anaheim Esperanza, led by senior distance runner Mike Chavez, edged host Mission Viejo Trabuco Hills, 51-50, for the boys’ team title in the Orange County track and field championships on Saturday.

Chavez accounted for 22 of Esperanza’s points by finishing second in the 800 meters in 1 minute 55.65 seconds, second in the 1,600 in 4:13.96 and third in the 3,200 in 9:23.17.

Trabuco Hills had a 46-44 lead over second-place Cypress entering the 1,600 relay, the final event of the meet. But Esperanza, which was in third place with 43 points, scored eight points to Trabuco Hills’ four in the 1,600 relay when the Aztecs placed second in 3:25.18 and the Mustangs finished fourth in 3:26.61.

Seniors Matt Slater of Anaheim Servite, Brandon Babiracki of Dana Point Dana Hills and Jeremy Wooldridge of Trabuco Hills each won two individual events in the boys’ meet.

Slater won the 100 in a career-best 10.62, the 200 in a wind-aided 21.53 and anchored Servite’s 400 relay to a winning time of 42.37.

Babiracki won the 1,600 in 4:12.05 and the 3,200 in a career-best 9:18.47.

Wooldridge won the long jump at 22 feet 5 1/2 inches and the triple jump at 46-4 3/4.

Santa Margarita was a runaway winner in the girls’ meet, totaling 73 points to the 42 of runner-up Anaheim Western.

Senior Emily Kalmbach accounted for 18 1/2 of Santa Margarita’s points by finishing second in the 400 in 58.20, third in the 200 in 25.63 and running legs on teams that won the 1,600 relay in 3:56.79 and finished second in the 400 relay in 48.98.

-- John Ortega

The Villa Park girls’ swim team sent Irvine an early message Saturday at the Santa Ana Foothill Swim Games. The Spartans, ranked No. 2 in the region, handed Irvine’s powerful 200-yard medley relay team a rare defeat in the meet’s opening event, but the No. 1 Vaqueros answered with four meet records and pulled away to win the team title with 306 points.

Third-ranked Santa Margarita made a late charge to finish second with 196 points and Villa Park was third with 195.

Villa Park’s medley relay team of Jessica Cruzat, Angela Samuels, Ashley De Paul and Lindsey Bruner led start to finish to post a victory in 1 minute 47.99 seconds, breaking Irvine’s year-old meet record of 1:48.66.

Irvine’s Courtney Cashion, the girls’ swimmer of the meet, followed by winning the 50 freestyle in 23.74 and the 100 freestyle in 50.81, breaking her own year-old meet records. Teammate Diana MacManus broke her year-old meet record in the 100 backstroke with a time of 55.61 and both teamed with Elliko Heimbach and Tanya Nielsen to win the 400 freestyle relay in a meet record 3:30.71.

The Huntington Beach Edison boys’ team won the medley relay in 1:41.09 and went on to win the team title with 159 points. Santa Margarita was second with 141 1/2 points and Anaheim Canyon was third with 131.

Adam Hewko of Anaheim Servite was selected the boys’ swimmer of the meet after winning the 200 individual medley (1:53.94) and the 100 breaststroke (58.37).

-- Dan Arritt