Southwestern College hosted this year’s Pacific Coast Athletic Conference swim and dive championship meet. Besides showcasing the school’s new aquatics complex, the Jaguars also got to showcase their team, which has tripled in size since returning to campus.
“The team was really resilient after years of not having a pool on campus knowing that we would be hosting the conference championships,” SWC head coach Matt Ustaszewski said. “Earlier in the season I was out two weeks (due to the birth of a child). They worked hard all season. Their efforts were unbelievable. To come back and see them peak at a higher level was gratifying.”
The PCAC championships were spread over three days from April 18-20. The three-day format mimics that of the upcoming state meet, which will be held May 2-4 at De Anza College in Cupertino.
Five teams competed in each gender division at the PCAC finals.
Grossmont College won the men’s team title with 908 points to out-pace runner-up Mesa (852 points) and third place Palomar (551 points). Southwestern finished fourth with 348 points while Crafton Hills finished fifth with 125 points.
San Diego Mesa College won the women’s team title with 764 points, followed by runner-up Palomar (556 points) and third place Grossmont (552 points). Southwestern finished fourth with 432 points while Crafton Hills was fifth with 140 points.
Crafton Hills, which is located in Yucaipa in southwestern Riverside County, is a newcomer to conference membership.
Nicole Aispuro-Machado led Southwestern’s women’s team in scoring with 49 points after recording second-place individual finishes in the 100-yard butterfly (1:04.55) and 200 butterfly (2:27.69) and a fourth-place finish in the 200 individual medley (2:29.76).
Aleigha Binda was next in line for the SWC women’s team with 46 points after placing second in the 100 breaststroke (1:13.88) and 200 breaststroke (2:41.99). She also recorded a seventh-place finish in the 20o IM (2:34.45).
Melanie Yngson and Britney Zavala each scored 39 points to further buttress the Lady Jaguars. Yngson finished second in the 400 IM (5:38.33), sixth in the 200 IM (2:33.42) and ninth in the 100 freestyle (1:01.43); Zavala finished third in the 200 butterfly (3:05.24), fifth in the 400 IM (6:38.00) and ninth in the 500 freestyle (6:34.65).
Other top scorers for the local women included Krysdel Garate (32 points), Jazmin Glaman (28 points) and American Noquez (26 points).
Garate’s highest place-finish was fourth in the 200 backstroke (2:55.40) while Glaman finished fourth in the 400 IM (6:06.82) and sixth in the 100 backstroke (1:18.17).
Noquez’s highest place-finish was fourth in the 200 butterfly (3:39.75).
Eduardo Flores led the Jaguars men’s team with 42 points after recording a fourth-place individual finish in the 100 backstroke (57.69), fifth-place finish in the 200 IM (2:13.58) and sixth-place finish in the 200 backstroke (2:10.87).
Alberto Gandara finished with 32 points after recording a fifth-place finish in the 200 breaststroke (2:36.09), eighth-place finish in the 100 breaststroke (1:09.58) and 10th-place finish in the 200 IM (2:20.71).
Other top scorers for the SWC men included Charles Kaui (26 points) and Antonio Balvaneda (24 points).
Balvaneda’s highest place-finish was sixth in the 200 breaststroke (2:39.07).
Kaui finished eighth in the grueling 66-lap 1650 distance event with a time of 20:27.89.
In women’s relay events, Southwestern finished third in the 400 medley relay (4:39.27), fourth in the 200 medley relay (2:06.11), 800 freestyle relay (11:41.99), 200 freestyle relay (1:54.48) and 400 freestyle relay (4:14.23).
In men’s relay events, the Jaguars finished fourth in the 200 freestyle (1:39.06), 400 medley relay (4:03.44), 200 medley relay (1:49.16), 800 freestyle relay (8:26.83) and 400 freestyle relay (3:41.73).
Ustaszewski lauded the efforts of everyone on the team, which numbered 24 swimmers this year.
“We’ve tripled our participation numbers this season,” the SWC coach said. “It was hard for a couple years using an off-campus pool with single digit numbers on both the men’s and women’s teams.”
Mesa sophomore Julie Parsons (Otay Ranch) and Palomar freshman Maddy Johnson (Fallbrook) shared the PCAC Women’s Co-Swimmer of the Year award.
Both swimmers recorded 57 points for their respective teams.
Parsons finished the meet with gold medals in the 100 backstroke (57.76) and 200 backstroke (2:07.71) and a silver medal in the 200 IM (2:145.12).
She broke her own meet record in the 100 backstroke.
The former Mustang standout also swam legs on the Lady Olympians’ winning teams in the 400 medley relay (4:06.11), 200 medley relay (1:52.74) and 800 freestyle relay (8:00.24).
Since graduating from Otay Ranch, life in the fast lane has been treating Parsons well.
She finished second in the 200 backstroke and third in the 100 backstroke at last year’s state championship meet.
She holds PCAC records in both the events.
“I feel that (community college swimming) is a little more competitive than high school swimming,” Parsons said. “I’m proud to win the championship and set the conference record.
“It felt like I achieved my goals. A lot of girls have trained for years and never gotten to that point (placing at the state meet). It was nice to do that.”
Eastlake alumnus Jack Fischer won a gold medal as part of Mesa’s men’s 200 freesytle relay team (1:26.04). He scored a fifth-place individual finish in the 50 freestyle (21.89) and a pair of sixth-place finishes in the 100 freestyle (49.12) and 200 freestyle (1:50.31).
Grossmont College freshman Austin Dickman and San Diego Mesa freshman John Dickerson shared the PCAC Male Co-Swimmer of the Year award.
Dickman, a graduate of Granite Hills High School and runner-up in last year’s 100 butterfly finals at the San Diego Section championships, collected five gold medals to score a meet-high 60 points for the Griffins.
He won three individual gold medals in the 100 butterfly (51.10), 100 backstroke (53.53) and 200 backstroke (1:58.81) and two gold medals as part of relay teams (3:35.02 in the 400 medley relay and 1:37.48 in the 200 medley relay).
Dickerson, a La Jolla High alumnus, captured five medals, including four gold medals, in leading the Olympians to a runner-up finish at last weekend’s conference championship meet.
Dickerson won individual gold medals in the 50 freestyle (20.87), 100 freestyle (45.85) and 200 freestyle (1:41.22). He also helped Mesa win a gold medal in the 200 freestyle relay (1:26.04) and place runner-up in the 200 medley relay (1:38.12).
“I honestly didn’t expect anything like this to become a reality,” Dickman said somewhat modestly. “It’s a dream to receive this award as a freshman.”
Dickman won his first gold medal on the first day of competition as Grossmont captured the men’s 400-yard medley relay to best runner-up Palomar by nearly five seconds. He swam the opening backstroke leg to set up teammates Tristan Correia (breaststroke), Wes Papike (butterfly) and Garrett Hail (freestyle) to secure the victory.
Dickman picked up three gold medals on the second day of competition in the 200 butterfly and 100 backstroke events while also swimming a leg on the Griffins’ victorious 200 medley relay team.
Dickman had qualified for the San Diego Section championship meet three times while swimming for Granite Hills, placing second his senior year. He broke his own school record each year.
The former Eagle standout shaved nearly three seconds off his prelim time and nearly five seconds off his seed time in winning the 100 butterfly at this year’s PCAC finals. His final time set a personal best, eclipsing the 51.54 he swam at last year’s CIF championship meet.
“Phenomenal,” the obviously proud swimmer noted.
Dickman swam the backstroke leg, followed by Correia (breaststroke), Papike (butterfly) and Isaiah Webster (freestyle) as the Griffins’ 200 medley relay team topped Mesa by six-tenths of a second.
Dickman captured his fifth gold medal on the final day of competition by winning the men’s 200 backstroke — nearly four seconds faster than his prelim time set earlier in the morning and nearly eight seconds faster than his seed time.
“I’m at a loss for words,” Dickman said in describing his whirlwind performance. “I was hoping to get at least one medal but to get five, it’s crazy. My parents and my coaches, including my coaches at Heartland Swim Association, have helped me so much the past few years.”
Dickman qualified to swim in three events at the state meet: 100 butterfly, 100 backstroke and 200 backstroke.
Grossmont teammates Hail (50 freestyle, 200 freestyle and 100 freestyle) and Mack Nevins (500 freestyle, 200 freestyle and 100 freestyle) also qualified to compete in three individual events at the state meet.
Webster (50 freestyle and 100 freestyle), Brian Kuhn (1650 freestyle and 500 freestyle) and Anson Rasmusson (one- and three-meter diving) all qualified in two events while teammate Trevor Perez qualified for the three-meter diving competition.
Papike and Correia, along with the rest of the team, will participate in relays, according to Griffins coach Anhton Tran.
“It was a very successful weekend for us (at the PCAC finals),” explained Tran, who earned recognition as the PCAC Men’s Coach of the Year. “I knew what all the guys were capable of and they exceeded my expectations.
“It’s been a great season. Everybody was super fast this (past) weekend.”
Correia, another talented freshman, finished the PCAC finals with five medals, including four gold medals.
He captured first-place individual finishes in the 400 individual medley (4:23.88) and 200 breaststroke (2:15.20) while finishing fourth in the 100 breaststroke (1:01.57).
The former Grossmont High swimmer was part of the Griffins’ championship 200 and 400 medley relay teams along with Dickman and Papike.
“It’s kind of like the same as high school but at the same time it’s not the same,” Correia said. “It’s a lot more competitive in meets with everyone trying to get to state.”
Correia, who scored 55 points in the meet, has already set new goals for his swimming career. He wants to slip under one minute in the 100 breaststroke and time 4:15 or faster in the 400 IM.
Sophomore Brian Kuhn finished the meet with four medals, including one gold medal and three individual medals.
Kuhn, the 2017 Grossmont Hills League Swimmer of the Year for Grossmont High School (200 and 500 freestyle champion), captured a gold medal in the 800 freestyle relay while collecting two silver medals and one bronze medal.
Grossmont College’s 800 freestyle relay team clocked 7:11.18 to place seven seconds ahead of runner-up Palomar (7:18.13). Hail (Christian), Webster (Granite Hills) and Mack Nevins (Grossmont) also swam legs on the first-place team.
Kuhn finished second in the 400 IM (4:34.78) and 1650 freestyle (17:18.91) and third in the 500 freestyle (4:54.28).
The 1650 distance is equivalent to a mile and encompassed swimming 66 laps to complete it.
“It’s been a lot of fun,” said Kuhn, who scored 50 points for his team. “Being a distance swimmer we have more events at the community college level at our disposal. Being able to focus on more than just one event has been nice.”
Sophomore Carli Willis, who scored 55 points for her team, proved to be the standout swimmer on the weekend for the Grossmont College women’s team with individual gold medals in the women’s 400 IM (4:58.71) and 200 butterfly (2:19.42). She finished fourth in the 500 freestyle (5:32.68).
Dickman has qualified for three individual events at the upcoming state meet: 100 butterfly, 100 backstroke and 200 backstroke.
Garret Hail (50 freestyle, 200 freestyle and 100 freestyle) and
Nevins (500 freestyle, 200 freestyle and 100 freestyle) also qualified in three individual events.
Webster (50 freestyle and 100 freestyle), Kuhn (1650 freestyle and 500 freestyle) and Anson Rasmusson (one- and three-meter diving) each qualified in two events while Trevor Perez will compete in the three-meter diving program.
Papike and Correia, along with the rest of the team, will participate in relays, according to Tran.
Grossmont College’s women’s team had two individual state qualifiers: Willis qualified in the 500 freestyle, 400 IM and 200 butterfly while Noelle Abrantes qualified in the one-meter and three-meter diving competition.
Parade of Champions
Photo Gallery by Phillip Brents
