Walnut girls swimming win CIF Division 3 title

By Keith Lair
Walnut High School’s Alexis Grant looked to the swimming lane on her right side of Riverside City College pool and did not see Pasadena Poly’s Susannah Laster.
The freshman knew the Mustangs’ first CIF Southern Section Division 3 title in seven years would be at hand on Thursday evening.
“We were ahead and I really didn’t see anybody,” Grant said. “I was definitely scared because Susannah Laster can go out really fast; faster than me. It was nerve-wracking.”

Walnut and Poly were tied heading into the meet’s final event, the 400-yard freestyle relay. Cara Le gave the Mustangs the lead for good on the third leg of the race and Grant finished off the Mustangs’ fifth division title; Walnut won the Division 2 crown in 2010.

“I couldn’t sit down those last couple of minutes,” Walnut coach Ed Gautreau said. “Those last couple of minutes were the toughest for me as a coach.”

Walnut, also with Emily Honng and Katelyn Young, won in 3 minutes, 33.25 seconds. Poly finished tied for third in the race. The Mustangs ended the Panthers’ two-year reign as division champions by nine points.

“They’re a great team,” Poly coach Colin Allen said. “We had to swim our very, very, very best to keep it close. I couldn’t ask for anything more. It was the best we could hope for. They were one swimmer more than we were.”

Walnut won four events, including lowering its own meet record in the 200 free relay. Honng and Grant each won an individual event.

“This is definitely the best girls team I’ve ever coached and I truly believe the best team in the history of the school,” Gautreau said. “From top to bottom, seniors down to freshman, we’re such a balanced team.

“Our times were there. I saw they were just pumped up with lifetime bests early in the meet and I knew we had a shot. You could see it in their eyes. They were so focused.”

One day after setting the meet record in the 200 free relay in the prelims, the Mustangs went even faster, Honng, Erin DeAnda, Cara Le and Alexis Grant won in 1:37.44, a program record.

“We never expected it,” Honng said. “They said, ‘Meet record.’ I said, ‘What? This is so crazy.”

Grant won the 200 free, defeating 2016 champion Laster, with a 1:52.22. Laster was third (1:54.56).

“I knew after the third 50 I really had to pick up my tempo, sprint and give it my all,” Grant said. “I had to suck it up and be tough.”

Honng then repeated as the 200 individual medley champion, winning in a personal-best time of 2:05.38, the first time she has eclipsed the 2:06 mark. She pulled away from teammate Le, who was second (2:08.25).

“When I’m ahead, it’s more of a mental push,” senior Honng said. “I just try to do my own race and drop my own time.”

Poly built a big early lead by taking first and second in diving and then the 200 medley relay team of Laster, Gabriela Maarse, Kate Fogassa and Rachel Min won in 1:49.20.

“We had a disadvantage,” Honng said of the loss of 40-plus diving points. “We had to come from behind. We were motivated to swim our own races.”

Honng was second in the 100 breast (1:05.17) and Grant was also third in the 100 free (52.22).

Also getting victories were Gabrielino’s Calvin Giang and La Serna’s Sean Ward.

Giang repeated as the 100 backstroke champion, winning in 50.47. Ward won the 100 breaststroke in 56.14.

“I felt pressure by myself and to break that 50-(second) barrier,” Giang said. “I’m sad I didn’t break it. But I’ll take the win.”

Ward outdueled Jacob Christensen of Placentia’s Valencia to win with a personal-best time and beat Christensen for the second time this year.

“He was the man to beat and I beat him,” Ward said. “I have been thinking about this for a long time now and to finally get a title is pretty amazing.”

Getting second-place finishes was Keppel’s Michelle Martin in the 50 free (23.77), Giang in the 100 butterfly (50.32), the Gabrielino 200 medley team of Giang, Eden Ly, Winfred Wang and Miles Leon (1:36.19) and the Flintridge Prep 400 free relay team of Andy Langen, Bett, Bell, Nat Morrissey, Winston Chen (3:13.69).

Walnut took third in the boys team race with Flintridge Prep fourth. Canyon of Anaheim won the title.

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