CIF-SS Swim Finals take center stage in Riverside beginning tonight and concluding Saturday

DIVISION 3 PRELIM RESULTS
DIVISION 4 PRELIM RESULTS
CIF-SS SWIM FINALS at the Riverside Aquatics Complex
Results posted immediately after races found here
DIVISION 3 SWIM FINALS, TONIGHT, 5 P.M.
DIVISION 4 SWIM FINALS, FRIDAY, 5 P.M.
DIVISION 2 SWIM FINALS, SATURDAY, 10 A.M.
DIVISION 1 SWIM FINALS, SATURDAY, 5 P.M.

keehn
Above: St. Lucy’s senior Sammie Keehn hopes to do well in Saturday’s girls 100 butterfly at the Division 2 finals

By Keith Lair Staff Writer
Keppel High School’s move may very well be La Serna’s gain.
When the CIF-Southern Section swim finals get underway tonight at the Riverside City College Aquatics Center, the Aztecs can no longer beat up on their fellow CIF-SS Division 3 opponents. Keppel has won the last three girls and last two boys titles.
But the Aztecs and the Almont League has been bumped up to a higher division, Division 2. That opens the door for the La Serna girls, who finished second last year. The Lancers and the Del Rio League did not change divisions.
“It’s going to be so much tougher,” Keppel coach Ish Perez said. “We’re going against kids so much faster and from bigger club (teams). It will be quite a challenge.”
Also having a tougher time repeating will be La Salle, which won the girls Division 4 title by 1 points last year. The Lancers move into Division 3.
The four CIF-SS divisions finals swim tonight through Saturday night in the 10-lane complex. Division 3 got the jump on the competition with prelims on Wednesday afternoon with the finals scheduled for tonight at 5. The Division 4 finals are Friday at 5 p.m. and the Division 2 finals are Saturday at 10 a.m. and the Division 1 finals Saturday at 5 p.m.
Five San Gabriel Valley area swimmers go into the meets as top seeds and 21 others are close second through fourth seeds, all based on times this season.
La Canada senior Brandon Nguyen and Flintridge Sacred Heart sophomore Kirsten Vose are top seeds in the Division 1 100 breaststroke. Vose was second last year. Glendora freshman Catherine Sanchez is the top seed in the Division 2 100 freestyle, reigning Division 4 champion Kali Kearns of Alverno the top seed in that division’s 200 free and San Dimas’ Austin Garcia the top seed in the Division 4 50 free.
Champions who will have to win at a different division include La Salle’s Samantha Torrez and Keppel’s Justin Chiu. Torrez won the Division 4 backstroke and butterfly. She is seeded second in both Division 3 events.
Chiu won the Division 3 100 breast last year and is seed fourth in Division 2 this year.
La Canada’s Nguyen was fourth in the 200 individual medley last year and is seeded second. Pasadena’s Victoria Lepesant was second in the Division 2 200 free last year and is seeded fourth. La Salle’s Paul Gouw was second in the 500 free last year and is seeded second.
Glendora’s Sanchez is seeded second in the 100 fly, Flintridge Prep’s Jennifer Langen second in the 200 free, La Serna’s Alyssa Shew seeded second in the breast and Kearns second in the 500 free.
Diving, which has already been decided, will be showcased during the 10-minute intermission at each meet. Flintridge’s Prep’s Madison Witt won the Division 3 title, knocking off Prep League champion Annika Lenz of Pasadena Poly. Witt scored a 538 to win by 24.15 points. Lenz, last year’s Division 2 champion, finished third with Flintridge Prep’s Kyla Bradley ninth and Westridge’s Cassidy Golden 10th.
Keppel’s Siyao Li finished second for the second consecutive year, 32.5 points behind Madison Hudkins of Vista Murietta. Keppel’s Alisha Mah was third. In Division 2, La Habra’s Justin Angelo was fifth, Damien’s Noah Luna seventh and Bonita’s Jake Manning 10th. In Division 4, Maranatha took second, third and fourth with Victor Ginelli, David Bunn and Kendall Hollimon.
keith.lair@sgvn.com 626-544-0856

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