Los Alamitos’ boys swim team showed Thursday what a highly-motivated group that races for each other can accomplish in a dual meet.
The unranked Griffins used their depth to steal three individual events and outscored host No. 7 Edison by 10 points in the relays en route to a 93-77 victory in the teams’ Sunset League opener.
Edison’s defending league champion girls, ranked fourth in Orange County, followed a pair of sizzling times from Nora Deleske and a sweep of the relays to a 101-69 against No. 9 Los Alamitos.
Related: Thursday’s leaderboard
In three events — the 200-yard individual medley, 500 free and backstroke — Los Alamitos’ boys finished second-third-fourth behind an Edison winner to capture the stage, 9-7.
The Griffins also swept the 50-yard freestyle with Brandon Toland (22.64 seconds), Paul Carey (23.00) and Adam Lott (23.03) and claimed the 200 and 400 freestyle relays.
Los Alamitos capped the meet by winning the 400 free with Asa Marvel, Abram Marvel, Derek Fordham and Carey clocking a 3:19.53. The Griffins’ B relays also finished third in each of their races.
“That was the game plan, depth,” Los Alamitos coach Brent Danna said. “We’ll 2-3-4 people to death if that’s what it takes. … Every single race matters.”
Danna said a narrow runner-up finish to Fountain Valley at the Sunset League finals last season left a “sour taste” with the Griffins, and they’re motivated to rebound. They also noticed their absence in the latest county poll.
“We definitely made a statement,” said Fordham, who raced a pivotal third leg on the 400 relay. “I think we have the advantage (for league finals) because we’re the only team that didn’t lose (point) scoring seniors.”
Edison’s Zach Nelson captured the 200 individual medley (1:57.43) and breaststroke (1:00.15), and freshman Taylor Whitmore also doubled with first-place touches in the 100 free (49.97) and backstroke (55.08).
“I’m super-stoked on our guys,” Edison coach Diggy Riley said. “We have every intent of racing from here on out. … Los Al is fast.”
Los Alamitos’ first 2-3-4 finish arrived in the 200 IM. After Nelson touched first, Fordham (1:59.84), Asa Marvel (2:06.02) and Bernard Mendez (2:08.77) placed 2-3-4 to give Los Alamitos the event, 9-7. Los Alamitos took the lead for good in the next race, the 50 free.
“I’m just really proud of the guys,” Danna said. “The hard work is paying off.”
Deleske, a junior, clocked her best times in Edison’s shallow pool in claiming the 200 individual medley (2:04.84) and breaststroke (1:05.30). She narrowly missed the automatic All-America standard the IM.
“We’re really excited,” she said of the victory. “Everybody has been training super-hard.”
Los Alamitos’ Nicqueline Rettberg and Sydney Rouse also were double-winners. The TCU-bound Rettberg swept the 200 (1:55.00) and 500 (5:04.67) freestyles in near Division 1 auto times while Rouse out-dueled Taylor Newton by eight one-hundredths of a second in the 50 free (25.53) and won the backstroke (1:01.08).
