Killer Whales outpace Lake Forest

 Submitted by Martin Klein

Killer Whales are one of the fastest creatures in the ocean, traveling up to 30 miles per hour, and this past Saturday the Newport Hills Killer Whales certainly needed all of their speed to overcome the determined Lake Forest II Dolphins, 673.50-593.50 in South Coast Swim Conference action.

Newport Hills was led by their 7-8 girls, 9-10 boys and 13-14 boys in its victory over the Dolphins. All groups won both their medley and freestyle relays, as well as all five individual events within their age groups: for the 7-8 girls that was the 25-yard freestyle, 25 breaststroke, 25 butterfly, 25 backstroke and 50 free, while for the 9-10 boys and the 13-14 boys it was the freestyle, breaststroke, fly, back and individual medley.

Three Killer Whales were three-time winners in individual events. In the 9-10 girls, Madeline Musselman won the 50 free, 25 fly and 100 IM, while in the 9-10 boys, Henry Wilde swam to first-place wins in the 50 free, 25 fly and 100 IM. Christian Garkani earned first-place honors in the 13-14 boys 50 fly and 50 back and also the 50 free in the 15-18 division.

In addition, eight Newport Hills swimmers grabbed the gold in two individual events. Speedy Laster, in the under-6 boys, swam to wins in the 25 free and 25 back, while in the 7-8 girls, Chloe Harbilas won the 25 free and 50 free and Sophie Wallace was victorious in the 25 fly and the 25 back. Jake Bays took the blue ribbons in the 25 free and 25 breaststroke for the 7-8 boys, and in the 11-12 boys, Danny Robertson won the 50 breaststroke and 50 fly, and Taylor Cortens was a winner in both the 50 back and 100 IM. Lauren Dean won the 50 fly and the very exciting 100 IM in the 13-14 girls, and Nick Furgatch stepped up to win both the 50 breaststroke and 100 IM for the 13-14 boys.

Individual event winners for the Killer Whales included Lauren Hughes (25 free) and Kate Rodman (25 back) in the under-6 girls, Tommy Bethel (25 fly) in the under-6 boys, Gianna Danese (25 breaststroke) in the 7-8 girls, Wyatt Genc (50 free) in the 7-8 boys, Lauren Openshaw (50 breaststroke) in the 9-10 girls, Morgan Cortens (50 breaststroke) and JT Russell (50 back) in the 9-10 boys, Brianna Daboub (50 back) in the 11-12 girls, Ian Givant and Richie Barden (50 free) who both tied for first in the 13-14 boys, Hollace Barden (50 fly) and Katie Bethel (50 back) in the 15-18 girls and Willy Reese (50 back) in the 15-18 boys.