The Dos Pueblos boys got big swims from senior freestyler Teodor Velikov and won the team title at the Channel League Championships on Thursday at Buena High,
Velikov won two individual events and was part of two winning relay teams to help the Chargers score 328 points. San Marcos was second with 308, followed by Ventura (273), Santa Barbara (182) and Buena (54).
DP’s meet victory meant it shared the league championship with San Marcos, which went undefeated in dual meets. The title for the Royals is their first in boys swimming in 40 years.
The San Marcos girls claimed the league title outright by winning Thursday’s meet. The Royals, who went unbeaten in dual meets, scored 395 points to beat out Ventura (309). Dos Pueblos was third (229), Santa Barbara fourth (152) and Buena fifth (60).
Today our depth really prevailed for us,” San Marcos coach Chuckie Roth said. “We had girls that stepped up to the challenge and swam some of their best races and pulled off personal best.” He cited Ella Prentice, who recovered from a bout of mononucleosis and swam personal bests in the 100 breaststroke and the 200 IM.
“I am really proud of this group for dealing with adversity,” Roth said. “So many people did what was best for the team and swam the best to their ability and that’s why we were able to be successful at this meet. We are looking forward to CIF this upcoming Wednesday.”
Piper Smith was a double winner for the Royals, taking the 100 freestyle (54.22) and 50 freestyle (24.50). She led a sweep in the 100, with Megan Musick and Luiza Moreno finishing second and third. Maija Ninness won the 100 butterfly (57.88) and the Royals captured the 200 free relay with the team of Angela Drake, Moreno, Smith and Musick (1:44.57). Amanda Hayes was second in the 100 breaststroke.
Cassandra Barkhorn was a workhorse for the Dos Pueblos girls. She won the 500 free title in 5:09,37, was second in the 200 IM with a CIF automatic and season-best time of 2:06.34 and was part of two relay teams that posted CIF consideration times. the 200 free relay was second in 1:44.57 and the 400 free relay clocked 3:42.78 to place third. Dani Castleberg had a relay leg of 54.88 in the 400.
DP’s 200 medley relay finished third in its best time in two years (1:56.60). Castleberg swam a CIF consideration time of 1:58.62 for third in the 200 free.
The UCSB-bound Velikov got the Charger going with a leadoff leg in the winning 200 medley relay. The team of Velikov, Ben Cable, Dylan Elliott and Jason Teng clocked 1:36.86. San Marcos was second in 1:38.22
Velikov won the 200 free in 1:42.16 and captured the 100 free in 46.04, beating out Santa Barbara High’s Sawyer Rhodes (46.59). The DP senior capped his day by swimming the anchor leg on the winning 400 free relay (Teng, Cable, Elliott, Velikov), which clocked 3:13.40.
DP got wins from Cable in the 100 breaststroke (58.91) and Eric Lindheim-Marx in the 500 free (4:48.13). Lindheim-Marx also took second in the 200 IM.
San Marcos got wins from Tristan Depew in the 100 fly (51.98) and the 200 free relay (Depew, Miles Cole, Spencer Wood, Matt Mills) in 1:30.33. Kellen Radtkey finished second in the 500 free. Hunter May initially won the 200 IM but was later disqualified.
Rhodes, who is headed to Stanford on a water polo scholarship, won the 50 free for Santa Barbara in 21.37, edging DP’s Cable (21.86).