SOUTHERN SECTION 2-A SWIMMING CHAMPIONSHIPS : This Year, Walnut Boys Edge Laguna Hills; Girls Win, Too

LONG BEACH — A case of diminishing numbers kept the Laguna Hills High School boys’ swim team from repeating as Southern Section 2-A champions Saturday.

Walnut qualified more swimmers in more events and thus scored a 210-190 victory over Laguna Hills at Belmont Plaza Pool.

In the girls’ competition, Walnut won the final event--the 400-yard freestyle relay--to take the meet title with 128 points. Rolling Hills, which led before the final event but did not qualify a relay team, finished second with 114.

The Mustang boys needed no last-minute heroics. A year ago, they finished second, losing the meet on the final event. Laguna Hills set a 2-A record in the 400 freestyle relay and won the meet by six points.

This time, the Mustangs didn’t take any chances. Walnut had taken command of the meet before the final event.

“We had to have it won by the last race,” Walnut boys’ Coach Mark Ruh said. “We couldn’t let Laguna Hills pull it out like last year.”

The Mustangs had a 16-point lead going into the relay.

Although Laguna Hills set 2-A record in the event (3:08.96), Walnut finished second and won the meet.

“Our goal was to be close by the time we got to the 400 freestyle,” Laguna Hills Coach Drew Maness said. “But for that to happen, we needed help from other teams or for Walnut to hurt themselves.”

The Mustangs qualified at least one swimmer in every event except the 50 freestyle. They had two finalists in the 200 individual medley and the 100 freestyle.

“This was the third championship meet for many of these guys,” Ruh said. “They knew what they had to do and who they had to beat.”

Dan Miles and Ryan Cabinte were the Mustangs’ only individual champions. Miles set a 2-A record in the 200 individual medley with a time of 1:51.23. Cabinte won the 100 breaststroke in 58.93.

Walnut also won two relays, setting a 2-A record in the 200 medley relay with a time of 1:35.73.

Against that depth, the Hawks could muster only a core of four swimmers.

“We thought we would qualify more swimmers, but some of our bottom swimmers didn’t come through,” Maness said.

The Hawks got a strong individual performance from Chad Carvin, who won the 200 IM for the second consecutive year.

Carvin also set a 2-A record in the 500 freestyle with a time of 4:22.08 and anchored the 400 freestyle relay.

Brian Jacobson of Downey broke his 2-A record in the 100 freestyle with a time of 44.99.

Mary Petry led the Walnut girls’ team, winning the 100 backstroke and 100 butterfly. She set a 2-A record in the 100 backstroke with a time of 56.60.

Walnut also won the 400 freestyle and 200 medley relays.

Natasha Kohne of Rancho Alamitos was the only Orange County girl to win an event. She won the 200 IM for the third consecutive year.