O.C. captures seven titles at Masters (video update)

LONG BEACH – Even when not at full strength, Orange County swimming can be a force to be reckoned with.

County swimmers proved that Tuesday night at the Southern Section Masters.

Despite being without several of its fastest swimmers, the county left Belmont Plaza with seven titles, including all three of the girls relays.

"That's really good," Aliso Niguel girls coach Ryan Cox said midway through the meet.

Torrance's Vladimir Morozov certainly was at full power. The Russian-born sprinter blasted his second national record in four days here by becoming the first high school boy to break 43 seconds in the 100-yard freestyle.

The USC-signee led off the 400 freestyle with startling 42.87 seconds (20.55 split).

"He's unbelievable," said Olympic legend and Brentwood swim dad Mark Spitz, who talked to Morozov during the meet.

The reasons for the county's scratches varied. Training was cited. So was a school function. And there was the idea that the season peaked for some at the Division 1 finals.

"It would have been fun to race those guys," said Sonora's Brennan Jacobsen, who captured the 200-yard freestyle in 1 minute, 40.12 seconds.

"But they're probably wanted to get back to training and I understand that. That's where I'll get back to (Wednesday). I'll see them at nationals."

Aliso Niguel's girls medley didn't match their runner-up time from Division 1, but Melanie Klaren, Camille Merwin, Rheanna Vaughn and Stephanie Schlobohm touched first by almost 1 1/2 seconds in 1:48.07.

Los Alamitos junior Joe Ferretti led a first-second-third-fourth sweep for the county in the boys 50 free with a 20.97. Brea Olinda's Jake Fletcher was second in 21.22.

Morozov later led off the 200 free relay with a 19.55 in the 50 — about a tenth off his national record of 19.43 from Saturday.

Ferretti said next season he will aim to break 20 seconds in the 50 free.

Fountain Valley's Cynthia Fascella finished second in the girls 50 free (23.45) but returned to claim the 100 free (50.33). The UCLA-bound senior also teamed with Erika Lucas, Jaime Dang and Shelby Webber to capture the 200 free relay by almost two seconds with a 1:36.96.

Division 1 breaststroke champion Michael Liao of Corona del Mar missed matching his time from Friday by one-hundredth of a second with a first-place 56.21.

Woodbridge's 400 free relay of Kaitlyn Van Peursem, Aya Fujimura, Genevieve Bradford and Dayae Choi won the 400 free relay in 3:33.34. The Warriors touched-out runner-up Mater Dei for the title.

Mater Dei’s boys 400 free relay clocked a school-record 3:11.44 in the heat before Morozov’s record. Torrance won the event in 3:07.18.

“Any race with Vladimir is exciting,” University’s Chris Wong said.

Wong raced against Morozov in the 100 butterfly. Morozov out-dueled his future USC teammate, Chase Bloch of Oaks Christian, to claim the victory in 47.97.

Morozov was even faster in the butterfly. He touched in a Masters record 47.55.

"We're going to like him at USC," USC swim coach Dave Salo said of Morozov. "He's going to help us move into the top-five (nationally)."