The buzz from the crowd grew Friday when the girls 50-yard freestyle finally arrived at the Trinity League swim finals.
Two of Orange County’s best racers, who also happen to be ex-teammates, were about to duel.
JSerra’s Kaitlyn Albertoli and Santa Margarita’s Katie McLaughlin didn’t disappoint.
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After Albertoli blasted off her starting block and turned first at the wall, McLaughlin surged into a virtual deadlock. The two raced stroke-for-stroke toward a historic finish at Santa Margarita.
As the crowd gasped, a smile bright enough to be seen from the far end of the pool belonged to the winner.
Albertoli out-touched McLaughlin by six one-hundredths of a second to capture the most anticipated race of the day in a meet-record and lifetime-best 22.71 seconds, less than two-tenths of a second off Lindsey Engel’s county record.
McLaughlin touched in 22.77 as the girls became the first county duo to break 23 seconds in 50 free in the same meet before the CIF finals.
The juniors shared a high-five afterward and left the blocks as the second- and fourth-fastest sprinters in county history. Albertoli’s time is the fastest time in the county this season.
“Being able to race Katie just pushed me to go that much faster,” said Albertoli, who earlier won the 200 freestyle in a meet-record and county-leading 1:47.76.
“You can still have friendships even when you’re competing with people. When you get behind the blocks and stuff, it’s (time to) battle it out.”
McLaughlin, who transferred from JSerra earlier this year, bounced back from a rare high school defeat to capture the 100 butterfly in a county-leading 53.29, less than half-a-second off her county record.
“It was fun,” McLaughlin said of racing Albertoli. “In a 50, you don’t really see anyone next to you much, but I guess thinking that she is there, helped (push me).”
McLaughlin raced in a training suit while Albertoli donned a jammer.
“Katie has a tech-suit, I like her chances,” Santa Margarita co-coach Rich Blanc said.
Several other records fell in the Division 1 league.
In the boys 100 free, Santa Margarita’s Marc Morizono (46.32), Mater Dei’s Spencer Carroll (46.62) and Mater Dei’s Matt Payne (46.82) all raced under the league standard.
Morizono, a sophomore, also broke the league record in the 200 free with a 1:40.96. Payne took down the 50 free record with a lifetime-best 20.99 while Santa Margarita’s Grant Shoults sank the butterfly standard with a lifetime-best 49.26.
In the 500 free, Servite’s Jerad Kaskawal (4:27.62) and Mater Dei’s Brittany Kampfer (4:51.75) each clocked league records.
Even the records in the dorsal events weren’t safe. Mater Dei’s Aislinn Light broke the backstroke mark with a 56.14 while Orange Lutheran’s Daniel Yos set a new league standard in the boys back with a 52.45.
Santa Margarita’s boys capped the meet by shattering the league record in the 400 free relay. The team of James Betz, Arturo Cerda, Morizono and Shoults clocked a 3:07.06, breaking Mater Dei’s 2010 time of 3:12.49 by about 5 1/2 seconds.
“The last couple year especially, the Trinity League on the boys and girls has really improved a lot,” Blanc said.
Santa Margarita’s No. 1 girls and boys claimed league titles. The Eagles’ girls won their 15th consecutive league title.
In the Pacific Coast League finals: Corey Okubo lowered his county record in the 200 individual medley with a 1:46.87 to help No. 1 University dominate at the Woollett Aquatics Center.
Okubo sliced two-tenths of a second off his county record of 1:47.07 at the Division 1 finals last season.
The Princeton-bound senior also broke his league record in the 100 butterfly with a 48.69.
University racked up 612 points to outdistance Northwood at 360. The Timberwolves surprised No. 3 Corona del Mar, which took third at 341.
The Sea Kings received league records from Liam Karas in the 200 free (1:39.54) and Tyler Lin in the breast (56.20).
Meagan Popp and Stephanie Samudro each won two events to lead Corona del Mar’s girls to the title.
In the South Coast League: Rafael Felix of Capistrano Valley blazed a 45.89 to capture the 100 free and help the host Cougars’ boys edge Tesoro, 516-502, for the league title. Tesoro’s boys clocked league records in the medley (1:33.99) and 200 free (1:25.43) relays. The Titans’ girls claimed the league title.
In Sunset League: Freshman Nora Deleske set league records in the 200 individual medley (2:02.52) and 100 breast (1:03.17) to help the Edison girls claim the title at Newport Harbor.
Wade Nelson captured the butterfly (49.07) and 100 breast (57.46) to help pace the Chargers boys to the title. Edison’s 400 free relay of Alec Niederland, Nathan Torres, Thomas Gillespie and Thomas Smith capped the victory with a meet-record 3:06.89.
In the Empire League: Yorba Linda’s girls and Valencia’s boys claimed league titles at Kennedy while Ryan Kao of Kennedy paced the individual performances.
Kao won the 50 free in a league-record 21.43, which held off runner-up Aaron Bauer of Pacifica (21.61). The senior also claimed the breaststroke in 59.74 and split a 45.06 anchor in the 400 free relay to help Kennedy take the 400 free in a meet-record 3:12.39.
In the Sea View League: Aidan Pastel of San Clemente lowered his league record in the 200 free to 1:39.09, but Dana Hills’ boys stormed to the league title at El Toro. Freshman Trent Pelini of Dana Hills won the breast in a swift 56.82. San Clemente’s girls claimed the league crown.
In the Century League: Foothill swept the boys and girls titles while the Knights’ Courtney Mykkanen set league records in the 200 IM (2:02.76) and back (55.06).
In the Freeway League: Troy’s boys and girls captured league titles at Fullerton College. Sonora freshman Taylor Ault blazed to league records in the 200 free (1:50.26) and 500 free (4:51.36).
Contact the writer: dalbano@ocregister.com
