The Sunset League swim prelims were delayed and forced to switch venues Wednesday, but that didn’t slow Edison’s boys.
After the meet was moved from Newport Harbor to Golden West College, the Chargers blazed to four county-leading times.
Senior Alec Niederland took over the county lead in the 50-yard (21.18 seconds) and 100 (46.31) freestyles, while Thomas Smith and Wade Nelson also grabbed county-leading times.
Smith set a pair of league records, including a county-leading 49.44 in the 100 backstroke. The junior’s time ranks fifth in county history.
Nelson blazed a county-leading 49.32 in the 100 butterfly, 10th in county history.
The meet moved to Golden West College because the water level was too high at Newport Harbor, Edison coach Diggy Riley said.
“(Golden West coach) Mark Schubert saved the day,” Riley said.
In the Sea View League prelims: Aidan Pastel made a strong first impression. The San Clemente sophomore, who transferred from the East Coast before the season, broke Philippe Demers’ 1996 league record in the 200-yard freestyle at El Toro.
Pastel blazed a time of 1:40.98 to claim the top seed for Friday’s finals and sliced about three-tenths of a second off Demers’ 1996 standard of 1:41.31 for Santa Margarita.
Pastel’s time ranks second in the county. He also qualified first in the 100 free with a 46.69.
Dana Hills sophomore Shane Forker qualified first in the 500 free with a 4:38.56. He dropped just over 17 seconds from his seed time.
In the Trinity League prelims: Mater Dei’s Matthew Payne qualified first in the 50 free at Santa Margarita with a 21.29, while Servite’s Jerad Kaskawal grabbed the top seed in the 500 free with a 4:30.95.
In the Pacific Coast League prelims: University’s Corey Okubo qualified first for Friday’s finals at the Woollett Aquatics Center in the 200 individual medley (1:49.67) and 100 butterfly (49.56), while Corona del Mar’s Liam Karas claimed the top seed in the 100 free with a 46.60.
In the Century League prelims: Spencer Kendall qualified first in the 200 (1:41.16) and 500 (4:39.65) freestyles to pace host Foothill.
In girls swimming:
In the Freeway League prelims: Freshman Taylor Ault of host Sonora claimed the top seeds for Friday’s finals in the 200 free (1:54.79) and 500 free (5:04.39).
Contact the writer: dalbano@ocregister.com
