Wilson High’s boys swim team and Lakewood High’s Daniel McArthur continued to rewrite the Moore League record book Friday night at Cabrillo High School’s beautiful new Jaguar Aquatic Center.
Overcoming a year in which their usual unbeatable depth was weakened by injuries and personal decisions not to swim, the Bruins extended their state record to 42 consecutive league championships. After surviving a dual meet season that featured a razor-thin win over Poly and a tie with Millikan, the Bruins were at their best at the league finals, scoring 444.5 points to second-place Poly’s 370.
Junior Daniel Shrout was the only Bruin to take home an individual title – they did win the 200-yard freestyle relay – but his outstanding performance in the 500 free (4:44.55) also was the best example why Wilson remained the Moore League team champion. Wilson swimmers also finished third (Brett Kalynycz), fourth (Albert Riley) and fifth (Daniel Schmidt) to earn 65 team points.
“It’s just sweet to see the pride these boys have in being part of Wilson swimming,” said Eric Berg, who has been Wilson’s coach since 2006. “This is a good one. It didn’t depend on one or two or three swimmers; it took a team effort.
“We had some adversity, but that was an opportunity for others to step up. So many of them did all they could to pull this off.”
Under the league’s combined dual meet-league finals scoring system, the Bruins had to win the league finals to keep their streak alive. The Bruins, who were as excited to pick up points finishing second, third or fourth as they were to win the relay, all jumped in the pool and took Berg with them after the final event.
“This was a great experience,” said Shrout, who just missed a personal best in the 500 and also finished third in the 100 butterfly. “We knew we had some setbacks at the start of the season, but everyone worked hard and we came through.”
McArthur, meanwhile, set meet and league records with dominant victories in the 100-yard freestyle (46.05 seconds) and 100-yard backstroke (48.86). That set the tone for a tremendous night for Lakewood’s top individuals, who won three other individual titles – two by Daniel Bustamante and one by Tim Valdez – and two relays.
“We have depth issues, but when we have some outstanding swimmers this is what we’re looking for,” Lakewood coach A.J. Butler said. “I couldn’t be happier with how they performed tonight.
“Daniel is very gifted, very focused. He knows what he’s going for.”
The best may be yet to come for McArthur, Bustamante and Valdez, who have their eyes on CIF championships and a strong finish by the team in the elite championship meets.
“Those were both good swims tonight,” said McArthur, still only a junior. “It shows I’m ready for CIF. It was a bonus getting the league records.
“This is a really nice facility, a nice pool. I’m sure that helped everyone’s times tonight.”
Bustamante, also a junior, bettered former teammate Bryan Seel’s 2012 meet record in the 50 free by .01 of a second, lowering it from 21.64 to 21.63.
He also lowered his best this year by four seconds in winning the 200 free in 1:43.84 ahead of teammate Michael Talag and three Wilson swimmers – Kai Pierce, Kalynycz and Schmidt.
“I texted Bryan that I got his record. He was pretty bitter over that .01 of a second,” Bustamante joked. “This was a great meet for the facility and for us.”
Valdez won the 200-yard individual medley in 1:58.72 and joined McArthur, Bustamante and Talag in winning the 200 IM and 400 free relays. The foursome form a strong nucleus for a good finish at CIF, where extreme depth is less important than it is at the Moore League meet.
“We were top 10 team-wise at CIF last year,” Butler said. “Things look pretty good for us to do as well or better this year.”
Other Moore League champions were Poly senior Ryan Sar, who took the 100 butterfly in 53.03, and Millikan junior Alec Wigginton, who dominated the 100 breaststroke in 58.06.
Wilson won the other relay, the 200 free, in 1:28.38 on the 50-yard swims of Jake Gulian, Jake Davis, Pierce and Brock Gordon.
Pierce also was second in the 100 back and 200 free, and Gulian finished third in the 100 free and tied for second (with Gordon) in the 100 free.
In his final Moore League meet, Riley was second in the 100 butterfly, fourth in the 500 free and on the 200 medley relay and 400 freestyle “B” relay teams that picked up valuable points. Kalynycz was fourth in the 200 free before going third in the 500 free.
Meisel breaks record
Wilson’s girls also ran away with the team title in Thursday’s finals, winning the 200 and 400 relays and getting a surprise win in the 50 free by freshman Mia Tedesco.
It was Wilson’s 37th league title and came a year after a rare team loss to Poly.
The meet was highlighted by Millikan’s Maddie Meisel breaking Jessica Hardy’s meet and league record in the 200 freestyle by .06. Her time was 1:52.18.
“Jessica is an amazing athlete, and to break her record is so special,” Meisel said afterward.
Meisel also won the 100 free, missing Hardy’s record in that event by .04.
Poly’s Rachel Quach won the 100 backstroke and paced the Jackrabbits’ win in the 200 medley relay.
Contact the writer: jimthomas@lbregister.com
