Steve VirgenThere’s more to Newport Harbor High...

Steve Virgen

There’s more to Newport Harbor High aquatics than a ball and cage. At

least, that’s what the Newport boys swim team proved after their

thrilling performance in a heavyweight-like bout with visiting Irvine

Wednesday.

The Sailors, typically known for water polo in regard to aquatics,

went 1-2 in the 400-yard freestyle relay, leading to an 85-85 tie

with Sea View League rival Irvine.

“We’re basically a water polo school and I’m trying to get them

excited about swimming,” said Newport Coach Jason Lynch, who is also

the coach of the boys water polo squad. “We competed with [Irvine]

and that was our goal. For the future, it gives us confidence. I

think it’s going to be a fun league championship meet [May 9].”

After Newport finished first and third in the 200 free relay, the

Sailors and Vaqueros were tied, 62-62, with three events remaining.

Andrew Cole, a Newport senior bound for the University of Utah, won

the 100 backstroke (53.90, CIF-automatic qualifier), yet Irvine

finished second and third, and the score remained tied, 70-70. Cole

also won the 100 free (48.10, CIF-automatic qualifier).

The Vaqueros, who have won the Sea View League title the past

eight years, swept the 100 breaststroke, which left Newport with the

challenge of going 1-2 in the 400 free relay in order to end the meet

in a tie.

Newport’s top 400 free relay team, consisting of Cole, junior

Michael Bury, senior Ross Sinclair and senior Nathan Weiner, were

expected to win, so Newport’s “B” foursome had to step up. Junior

Bryan Auer, freshman Clay Jorth, freshman Kyle Sherman and junior

Andrew Belden finished in 3:29.22 to provide Newport with the tie,

which staggered and stunned the Vaqueros.

The Sailors won their first Division I title in swimming last

year, but they are now without Aaron Peirsol, the world-record holder

in the 200-meter backstroke who is now competing for Texas.

“I wasn’t expecting this meet to be this close,” Irvine Coach Ken

Dory said. “I was really impressed with Newport. I kind of see them

as winning this meet. They deserve to win it. They out-swam us.”

Newport won four individual events, and were also victorious in

both free relays. The meet was not only decided in the final event,

but in fractions of a second, as the 50 free proved crucial to the

overall result.

Bury, who is also a standout on Newport’s water polo team, won the

50 free in 22.94, ahead of Irvine’s Evan Hsiao, who finished in

22.99.

“It definitely feels like a win,” Bury said of the tie with

Irvine. “When Newport can tie Irvine, that says a lot. It is

extraordinary.”

In addition to Bury, Sinclair, Weiner, Jorth, Auer and Belden also

competed for Lynch’s water polo squad, which won the Sea View League

title in the fall. Sinclair won the 500 free (5:04.58).

“We did swim better than expected,” Lynch said. Irvine is

[ranked] No. 3. I don’t think we should be unranked. Do you?”

Lynch also said the Sailors entered the meet with confidence,

considering the Newport Coach provided a plan that projected Newport

to win by two points. All the Sailors had to do was meet Lynch’s

standards. Easier said than done.

Lynch was also pleased with the Newport junior varsity boys team,

which surprisingly enough tied with the Vaqueros, 85-85, after the

Sailors went 1-3 in the 400 free relay.

The Newport varsity girls were not necessarily blown out, but lost

nonetheless to traditional powerhouse Irvine, 108-62. The Vaqueros

won all but two events. Newport senior Nicole Mackey, who has

verbally committed to Hawaii, won the 200 individual medley (2:06.53)

and 100 butterfly (56.85).

Mackey’s time in the 200 IM is the fastest swim in Orange County

this season. In the 100 fly, she narrowly defeated Irvine sophomore

Elliko Heimbach, who finished in 56.90, though she owns the county’s

fastest time this season in 56.44.

“I thought I was going to be slow,” said Mackey, who has been

dealing with illness the past three weeks. “I’m surprised I did that.

I knew what I had to do to beat them, but I wasn’t sure if I would be

able to do it.”

The Sailors were without senior Hayley Peirsol, who is competing

in the Conoco Phillips Spring National Championships in Indianapolis

this week. Mackey skipped that meet because she said she could not

afford to miss school.

The Vaqueros were also minus a swimmer, Courtney Cashion, who is

also in Indianapolis.