Eastin shatters records at the Division 3 finals

RIVERSIDE - Different types of pain surfaced at the CIF-SS Division 3 swimming and diving finals Thursday night.

There was the ache left by one of the greatest 200-yard individual medley races in Orange County history.

There also was the sting of two disqualifications that cost a pair of Orange County teams the chance to hoist runner-up team plaques.

Laguna Beach’s boys avoided the disqualifications and used its top-end speed to claim the second-place plaque after a drama-filled session at Riverside City College.

Crean Lutheran freshman Ella Eastin delivered two Division 3 records, including a history-making 200 IM.

Laguna Beach’s boys scored 264 points to place second to defending champion Mark Keppel of Alhambra, which tallied 311.

Kennedy’s boys appeared headed toward a runner-up finish, but the Fighting Irish’s fourth-place 200 free relay was disqualified because its leadoff swimmer was “not stationary at the starting signal.”

Kennedy lost 38 points and finished third in the team standings, 24 points behind Laguna Beach.

Crean Lutheran’s girls also seemed headed toward a runner-up finish to defending champion Mark Keppel. The Saints touched first in the 200 free relay, but as the swimmer were gathering for a post-race photograph, the disqualification flashed on the timing board.

The Saints lost 48 points and ended up fourth in the team standings, 13 points shy of La Serna (254).

“It’s pretty nerve-wracking,” Laguna Beach senior Erik Henrikson said of the meet. “We had a great team supporting us this year, though. We had really good team chemistry.”

Crean Lutheran’s girls and Kennedy’s boys each bounced back to capture the 400 free relays. Kennedy distance champion Ryan Cao dug deep for a 46.56 anchor to bring the Fighting Irish to the wall in 3:16.40.

“They finished strong,” Kennedy co-coach Eric Corona said.

Eastin became only the third county girl to break 2 minutes in the 200 individual medley with a Division 3 record 1:59.88. The freshman ranks second all-time in county history behind Kristen Caverly (1:58.86) and just ahead of Janet Evans (1:59.96).

Eastin didn’t feel good after the race but managed plenty of smiles. “I’m really happy with that time,” she said.

Eastin also won the 100 butterfly in a Division 3 record and lifetime-best 53.93, becoming the third county girl to break 54-seconds.

Crean Lutheran’s Lindsey Engel dominated the 100 free (49.86, 49.68 on the relay) and 100 back (54.00), while the Saints’ Lauren Maurer doubled with 200 (1:55.02) and 500 freestyles (5:06.33).