Breakers swimmers make CIF cuts

The results of Tuesday’s home dual meet with University were lopsided “” and not in the favor of the Laguna Beach High swim team.

The Trojans won the varsity boys’ competition, 120-50. In the varsity girls’ races, they were even more dominant, 131-39.

But that was OK, Coach Kari Johnson said.

“University had a very deep team,” Johnson said. “We weren’t expecting to win. We just wanted to achieve best times and make CIF cuts.”

Several Laguna boys had a strong meet. Junior Nile Koegel won in both the 50-yard freestyle (23.18 seconds) and 100 free (51.48). Both times were CIF Southern Section Division III consideration times.

Sophomore water polo standout Nolan McConnell just returned to the Breakers after suffering a ruptured eardrum during a game in February. But he had a great 100 backstroke Tuesday, Johnson said, finishing in second place after touching in 1 minute, 2.70 seconds, nearly a CIF consideration time.

The 200 free relay team of Koegel, junior Spencer Dodson, McConnell and senior Sean Mulville finished second in 1:34.90. The 400 free relay team featuring the same four swimmers finished in 3:28.00, a CIF Division III automatic cut.

On the girls’ side, Laguna Beach finished second at CIF last year, although they lost talented seniors Annika Dries (Stanford), Taylor Dodson (Cal), Chelsea Wild (USC) and Andrea Reigel (UCLA).

There is still plenty of talent, though, and junior Taylor Capobianco had a standout meet Tuesday.

She finished third in the 100 freestyle in 56.90 seconds, a personal-best time and an automatic CIF cut. She also took third in the 100 backstroke in 1:07.86.

Sophomore Melena Masson also had a strong 500 free, finishing in a CIF consideration time of 5:36.58.

“She dropped seven seconds from the last time she swam it and she’s a second and a half away from the automatic cut,” Johnson said.

Junior Jessie Holechek also had a CIF consideration time of 5:47.78 in the girls’ 500 free. She placed third at the meet.

Laguna has a break from meets until March 27, with the Breakers competing at the Mission Viejo Invitational. It’s a varsity-level meet with preliminaries and finals.

Orange Coast League meets open April 14 against Godinez at Valley High. Laguna is the defending boys’ and girls’ league champion.