University's Rankin speeds to victory
Orange County's top returning female distance swimmer showed her speed.
University's Megan Rankin qualified first in the 500-yard freestyle at the Pacific Coast League prelims Tuesday in a county-leading time of 4 minutes, 51.69 seconds at Corona del Mar.
In grabbing the county lead for the first time this spring, the UCLA-bound senior split the first 100 in 56.58. She almost matched that split in her final 100 with a swift 57.54. Rankin qualified second in the 200 free to Irvine's Emily Jiang, who clocked the No. 1 time with a 1:51.73. Rankin touched second in 1:53.05.
At the South Coast League girls prelims:
Mission Viejo's Marina Spadoni swam to top seeds in the 200 free (1:52.23) and 100 backstroke (56.55) at Capistrano Valley. Brooke Lorentzen of Capistrano Valley powered to the No. 1 seed in the 500 free (4:55.29).
At the Century League boys prelims:
Villa Park's BJ Churnside and Foothill's Cole Othmer each qualified first in two events at Foothill. Churnside grabbed the top seeds in the 50 (21.30) and 100 (48.54) freestyles while Othmer took the butterfly (52.24) and backstroke (53.72).
