For the second-consecutive year, the Orange Coast College Pirates reigned supreme on both sides at the Orange Empire Conference (OEC) Championships. The men captured 13 individual and relay victories over the course of the three-day event, while the women bagged 14 individual and relay titles to breeze past the conference competitors.
MEN
OCC dominated the event with 946 total points, while the Golden West College Rustlers earned second place with a mark of 683. The Riverside City College Tigers amassed 606 points for a narrow third-place finish. The Saddleback College Gauchos earned 419 total points to place third overall.
A total of 11 swimmers for the Pirates summed more than 40 points highlighted by the efforts of Ethan Smith. Smith draped himself in three gold medals coming in the 50 Free (20.22), 100 Fly (47.99) and 200 Fly (1:47.56) leading to 60 points. Tatsuki Ionue followed with a pair of first-place marks in the 100 Back (49.26) and the 200 Back (1:47.87) to go along with a second-place showing in the 100 Fly (49.90). He finished with 57 points.
Matthew Simpson touched the wall first in the 200 IM (1:50.46) and the 400 IM (4:03.51), followed by a second-place clip in the 200 Back (1:49.27). Dane Howell placed first in the 100 Free (45.59), while Mason Parker earned a victory in the 200 Free (1:42.00).
Golden West was led by Srboljub Filipovic who finished with a team-high 57 points. He placed first in the 100 Breaststroke (56.47) and the 200 Breaststroke (2:06.12) while adding in a second-place mark in the 200 IM (1:54.70). Nolan Chomin touched first in the 1650 Free (16:12.13), while adding a second-place finish in the 500 Free (4:39.53).
Riverside was led by Tyler LeDet who snagged a team high 52 points. He placed first overall in the 500 Free (4:35.75), while following up with a second-place finish in the 100 Back (52.04).
Elijah De Vera landed on the podium in all three of his events with two second-place marks in the 50 Free (20.67) and the 100 Free (45.92). His two silver medals sandwiched a third-place finish in the 100 Fly (50.55).
Jesus Lopez followed with 41 total points highlighted by a fourth-place finish in the 50 Free (21.33). Freshman Alexandre Le Cornec placed fifth in the 200 Free (1:46.88) and the 1650 Free (17:16.70).
The Tigers dominated the 200 Free Relay to earn the gold medal with a time of 1:23.43. De Vera, Mora, Lopez and LeDet team up to accomplish the feat.
WOMEN
It was the Orange Coast show for the women as they accumulated 946 total points. Riverside placed second overall with 709 points, while Saddleback landed on the final step on the podium with 502. Golden West came in fourth place with 411 points.
Leading the charge for the Pirates was Giselle Quinonez who totaled a team-high 60 points. She placed first overall in the 500 Free (5:11.31), 200 Free (1:57.19) and the 1650 Free (18:05.35). She shattered all of her seed times.
Sydni White bagged two gold medals coming in the 100 Back (1:10.93) and the 200 Back (2:11.61) leading to 55 total points. Tyra Le ended with 54 points after finishing in the top two in each race she participated. She placed first in the 100 Breaststroke (1:09.97), backed by a pair of silver medal marks in the 200 IM (2:22.21) and the 200 Breaststroke (2:34.42).
Gabrielle Hester touched the wall first in the 100 Fly (1:03.54) and placed third in the 1650 Free (19:29.91).
Riverside's Jessie Nelson, who was named the Female Swimmer of the Meet, had the most dominating performance of the meet as she won every event she participated in leading 60 total points. She touched the wall first in the 200 IM (2:15.02), 400 IM (4:50.13) and the 200 Breast (2:30.00). Her 400 IM time now stands as the fasted time in RCC history as she broke Kelly Perez's '07 time of 4:51.21 that was set at the 2017 OEC Championships.
Anabelle Storar followed with 53 total points highlighted by a gold-medal showing in the 200 Fly (2:20.66). She started her meet with a third-place mark in the 500 Free (5:19.56), backed by a second -place finish in the 1650 Free (18:46.41).
Lindsey Habeggar and Lauren Loffelmacher each pocketed 51 points. Habeggar finished first in the 100 Free (55.58), followed by a second-place mark in the 200 Free (2:01.74). Loffelmacher earned three silver medals coming in the 500 Free (5:19.09), 400 IM (4:53.76) and 200 Back (2:12.90).
Grace Deen earned the silver medal in the 100 Fly (1:04.64). Nicole Lis placed third in the 100 Back (1:06.77), while Gabrielle Fisher placed third in the 200 IM (2:30.01).
Kaitlyn Dawley was the highest-finishing point getter for the Bobcats with a total of 47. She placed second in the 200 Fly (2:27.34) and third in the 400 IM (5:05.96). Ryleigh Spruth placed third overall in the 100 Fly (1:10.32), while Carson Mackenzie placed third in the 200 Fly (2:40.32).
Release by Nicho DellaValle, Riverside SID