Cross country and swimming/diving, individual-based non-contact sports, were the first two sports given the go-ahead to proceed in the San Diego Section’s 2021 Season 1 schedule.
Cross country wrapped up its season March 20 but swimming/diving is still churning the waves locally. The section recently cancelled its planned end-of-season championship meet due to COVID-19 protocols, though some leagues still plan on holding their own championship meets.
The Metro Conference dual meet schedule runs through April 8, meaning Mesa League teams have about two remaining dual meets in regular season competition.
Hilltop remained undefeated in Mesa League duals following a sweep of its encounter March 25 at the Parkway pool against Bonita Vista.
The Lancers captured the boys matchup 118-50 won claimed the girls dual by a score of 107-73.
Hilltop improved to 4-0 in both gender fields.
It was the girls loss for Bonita Vista in girls competition.
“The objective this year is to stay healthy every meet,” veteran Hilltop coach Ernie Medina said. “We’ve accomplished that. We’re happy to see progress. We’re waiting for the schools to open.”
Bonita Vista coach Betty Alexander, who noted that several of her stop swimmers were competing in a top-draw club meet in Utah, echoed many of Medina’s sentiments.
“The social distancing makes it difficult on the pool deck,” Alexander said. “The swimmers have a lot of enthusiasm to be playing sports again.”
Hilltop captured first-place finishes in eight of the 12 events.
Mariagracia Zuniga (1:04.67 in the 100 and 2:27.52 in the 200 freestyle) and Vivien Nieto (27.96 in the 50 freestyle and 6:02.5 in the 500 freestyle) both doubled in winning their individual events while other individual event winners for the Lancers included Maggie Olin (2:40.17 in the 200 individual medley) and Bella Metzing (150.3 points in diving).
Olin, a freshman, also placed second in the 100 butterfly (1:11.93).
Hilltop touched first in the 200 freestyle relay (1:57.97) and 400 freestyle relay (4:36.25).
Bonita Vista captured the meet opening 200 medley relay in 2:11.63 as Sarah Hardin, Lily Carranza, Aparri Tarpley and Sylvanna Olivas exchanged swims.
Hardin recorded an individual double in winning the 100 butterfly (1:02.33) and 100 backstroke (1:02.09). Tarpley touched first in the 100 breaststroke (1:20.47) and finished runner-up in the 50 freestyle (28.94).
Hilltop’s winning team in the 200 freestyle relay included Makaylin MacIntyre, Zuniga, Monique Beaus and Nieto. Maddie Baldwin combined with Beaus, Hannah Zimmerman and Emma Hernandez to stroke to victory in the longer freestyle relay event.
Beaus finished second in the 200 freestyle (2:34.48) while Zimmerman finished second in the backstroke (1:17.08).
Nieto serves as the team’s junior team captain. Her best time this season in the 50 freestyle is 27.88.
Olivas placed second in both the 200 IM (2:47.21) and 100 freestyle (1:07). Carranza placed runner-up in the 500 freestyle (7:01.15) while BV teammate Nayeli Rodriguez finished second in the breaststroke (1:31.15)
Hilltop’s Dani Ramirez tallied 130.4 points to place second in the girls diving competition.
The Lancers won nine of the 12 events in the boys dual.
Nic Garces doubled in winning the 50 freestyle (24.72) and 100 butterfly (1:01.59) while Aidan Garces touched first in the 100 freestyle (59.30). Nikolas Kapetanios won the 100 backstroke in 1:08.84 while Petros Kapetanios won the 100 breaststroke in 1:17.49.
Hilltop’s Dominic Metzig won the diving competition with 126.3 points.
The Lancers swept all three relay events, winning the medley relay in 1:58.98, the 200 freestyle relay in 1:47.49 and the meet-concluding 400 freestyle relay in 4:45.59.
Nikolas Kapetanios, Aidan Garces, Petros Kapetanios and Nic Garces combined for the victory in the medley relay while Raul Rico, Evan Rodrigues, Aidan Garces and Nic Garces swam legs on the 200 freestyle relay. Rodriguez, Nikolas Kapetanios, Rico and Petros Kapetanios combined for the win in the 400 freestyle relay.
Rico also finished second in the 200 freestyle (2:15.45) while Nikolas Kapetanios placed runner-up in the 200 IM (2:30.10). Aidan Garces finished second in the 50 freestyle (26.13) while Petros Kapetanios placed second in the 500 freestyle (6:15.01).
Individual event winners for Bonita Vista included Abner Fuentes (2:09.60 in the 200 freestyle), Cyrus Lopez (2:25.27 in the 200 IM) and Ray Modregon (5:26.50 in the 500 freestyle).
Fuentes also placed second in the backstroke (1:09.12) while Modregon also finished second in the 100 butterfly (1:12.29).
Derek Czapek finished second in the breaststroke (1:19.46) while Lopez also placed third in the butterfly (1:09.2).
The best races of the day came in the boys 100 freestyle where Aidan Garces won by a touch despite a slower 0.04 hand clock time and in the boys 100 backstroke where 0.28 separated Nikolas Kapetanios from Fuentes.
Nic Garces, who serves as a senior team captain, has recorded best times this season of 52.88 (100 freestyle) and 2:01.33 (200 freestyle).
Six lanes were used in the dual meet. There were no junior varsity heats.
“We are happy to be back,” Medina underscored. “With COVID and so many restrictions, it has been difficult to get back to normal Hilltop Aquatics but we have been able to stay competitive and stay healthy.”
Hilltop closes regular season competition with an April 6 dual meet against defending league champion Eastlake at the Parkway pool and April 8 against Mar Vista at the Las Palmas pool in National City. Both high profile encounters start at 3 p.m.
Bonita Vista will meet Eastlake at 5 p.m. at Las Palmas on April 8.
Making a splash
Hilltop jump-started the season by sweeping both gender fields at Mater Dei Catholic on March 11. The Lancers won the boys dual 113-51 and captured the girls dual 116-57. Hilltop divers Dominic Metzig (124.5 points) and Bella Metzig (119.85 points) both claim first-place finishes.
Hilltop followed by sweeping Otay Ranch in another league dual meet on March 16, winning 119-38 in the boys field and 91-88 in the girls field.
Nic Garces timed 23.88 in the 50 freestyle and 53.08 in the 100 freestyle while the Lancers timed 1:41.82 in the 200 freestyle relay. Hilltop clocked 1:56.72 in the girls 200 freestyle relay.
The Lancers defeated the Olympian Eagles in a league dual meet on March 23.
Bonita Vista topped Olympian, 98-61, in the team’s season opener as Paola Castillo and Sarah Hardin both recorded individual doubles for the Barons.
Castillo won the 200 freestyle in 2:00.1 and the 500 freestyle in 5:21.15 while also swimming legs on victorious 200 medley (2:08.45) and 200 freestyle (1:53.06) relay teams.
Hardin won the 50 freestyle in 27.05 and came back to win the 100 backstroke in 1:03.2 while also swimming legs on the medley and 4×50 freestyle relays.
Sylvanna Olivas took first place in the 100 freestyle for Bonita Vista in 1:07.4.
Freshman Poppy Constantino recorded an individual double for Olympian in winning the 200 IM (2:18.5) and 100 breaststroke (1:11.53). Grace Hill captured first place in the 100 butterfly (1:13.5). Constantino and Hill were both members of the victorious Eagles foursome in the 4×100 freestyle relay (4:27.53).
Olympian defeated Bonita Vista, 62-51, on the boys side on the teams’ March 11 dual meet. Senior transfer Yad Hassan led the Eagles with individual doubles in the 500 freestyle (5:25.76) and 100 backstroke (1:03).
Bonita Vista received first-place swims from Cyrus Lopez in the 200 IM (2:30.15), Ray Modregon in the 100 butterfly (1:04.56) and Abner Fuentes in the 100 freestyle (56.46).
Mar Vista swept Olympian in both gender fields in a league dual meet on March 18. The Mariners won the boys dual 107-58 and claimed a 70-61 win on the girls side.
Double individual event winners for the MV boys included Luke Wilson (2:01.16 in the 200 freestyle and 5:35 in the 500 freestyle) and T.C. Spaulding (2:07.72 in the 200 IM and 57.97 in the 100 butterfly) while Nathaniel Cabrera an scored individual double for the Eagles in the 50 freestyle (23.60) and 100 breaststroke (1:04).
Ethan Hastings also came up victorious for the Mariners in the 100 freestyle (53.40) while Hassan won the 100 backstroke (1:01.15) for Olympian.
Annie Dickson doubled in winning the 200 freestyle (2:13.67) and 100 freestyle (1:01.26) to highlight Mar Vista’s win in the girls dual. Olympian’s Hill won the butterfly in 1:11 while taking a close second to Dickson in the 100 freestyle with a time of 1:03.
Girls Swimming
Hilltop 107, Bonita Vista 73
March 25 at Parkway Pool
200 medley relay: 1. Bonita Vista (Sarah Hardin, Lily Carranza, Aprarri Tarpley, Sylvanna Olivas) 2:11.63; 1. Hilltop (Hannah Zimmerman, Makaylin MacIntyre, Maggie Olin, Vivien Nieto) 2:20.08
200 freestyle: 1. Mariagracia (M.G). Zuniga (H) 2:27.52; 2. Monique Beaus (H) 2:34.48; 3. Madison Godinez (BV) 2:41.5; 4. Victoria Ryan (H) 2:52.10; 5. Abril Gutierrez (BV) 3:13.2; 6. Madelyn Omelina (BV) 3:20.97
200 individual medley: 1. Maggie Olin (H) 2:40.17l 2. Sylvanna Olivas (BV) 2:47.21; 3. Hannah Zimmerman (H) 2:51.25; 4. Nayelli Rodriguez (BV) 2:57.5; 5. Makaylin MacIntyre (H) 3:00.66; 6. Olivia N/A (BV) 3:52.3
50 freestyle: 1. Vivien Nieto (H) 27.96; 2. Aparri Tarpley (BV) 28.94; 3. Maddy Baldwin (H) 30.44; 4. Chiara Carlucci (H) 38.13; 5. Mia Lozano (BV) 42.28; 6. Bridget N/A (BV) 42.53
Diving: 1. Bella Metzig (H) 150.3 points; 2. Dani Ramirez (H) 130.4 points
100 butterfly: 1. Sarah Hardin (BV) 1:02.33; 2. Maggie Olin (H) 1:11.93; 3. Lily Carranza (BV) 1:22.78; 4. Monique Beaus (H) 1:29.23; 5. Makaylin MacIntyre (H) 1:31.19
100 freestyle: 1. M.G. Zuniga (H) 1:04.67; 2. Sylvanna Olivas (BV) 1:07; 3. Dani Ramirez (H) 1:15.67; 4. Sunny Perkins (H) 1:18.46; 5. Danica Clowers (BV) 1:18.51; 6. Mia Lozano (BV) 1:37.77
500 freestyle: 1. Vivien Nieto (H) 6:02.5; 2. Lily Carranza (BV) 7:01.15; 3. Emma Hernandez (H) 7:29.57; 4. Bella Kovar (BV) 7:35.06; 5. Madison Godinez (BV) 7:36.34; 6. Jocelyn Ramirez (H) 7:50.88
200 freestyle relay: 1. Hilltop (Makaylin MacIntyre, M.G. Zuniga, Monique Beaus, Vivien Nieto) 1:57.97; 2. Bonita Vista (Sylvanna Olivas, Nayelli Rodriguez, Danica Clowers, Sarah Hardin) 2:03.16
100 backstroke: 1. Sarah Hardin (BV) 1:02.09; 2. Hannah Zimmerman (H) 1:17.08; 3. Bella Kovar (BV) 1:27.33; 4. Emma Hernandez (H) 1:35.16; 5. Sunny Perkins (H) 1:36.33; 6. 6. Olivia N/A (BV) 1:47.98
100 breaststroke: 1. Aparri Tarpley (BV) 1:20.47; 2. Nayeli Rodriguez (BV) 1:31.15; 3. Chiara Carlucci (H) 1:38.13l 4. Maddie Baldwin (H) 1:41.62; 5. Madelyn Omelina (BV) 1:51.99
400 freestyle relay: 1. Hilltop (Maddie Baldwin, Monique Beaus, Hannah Zimmerman, Emma Hernandez) 4:36.25; 2. Bonita Vista (Danica Clowers, Madison Godinez, Aparri Tarpley, Lily Carranza) 5:02.51
Boys Swimming
Hilltop 118, Bonita Vista 50
March 25 at Parkway Pool
200 medley relay: 1. Hilltop (Nikolas Kapetanios, Aidan Garces, Petros Kapetanios, Nic Garces) 1:58.98; 2, Bonita Vista (Abner Fuentes, Derek Czapek, Ray Modregon, Cyrus Lopez) 2:01.15
200 freestyle: 1. Abner Fuentes (BV) 2:09.60; 2. Raul Rico (H) 2:15.45; 3. Emilio Beltran (H) 2:22.15; 4. Jesus Hernandez (H) 2:50.20
200 individual medley: 1. Cyrus Lopez (BV) 2:25.27; 2. Nikolas Kapetanios (H) 2:30.20; 3, Derek Czapek (BV) 2:39.51; 4. Evan Rodriguez (H) 2:51.41; 5. Liam Romero (H) 2:53.65
50 freestyle: 1. Nic Garces (H) 24.72; 2. Aidan Garces (H) 26.13; 3. Caleb Hutchins (BV) 27.52; 4. Silas Reyes (H) 42.99
Diving: 1. Dominic Metzig (H) 126.3 points
100 butterfly: 1. Nic Garces (H) 1:01.59; 2. Ray Modregon (BV) 1:12.29; 3. Cyrus Lopez (BV) 1:09.2; 4. Jason Evans (H) 1:14.58; 5. Evan Rodriguez (H) 1:15.80
100 freestyle: Aidan Garces (H) 59.30; 2. R. Rodriguez (H) 59.26; 3. Caleb Hutchins (BV) 1:00.21; 4. Timothy Roa (H) 1:03.01
500 freestyle: 1. Ray Modregon (BV) 5:26.50; 2. Petros Kapetanios (H) 6:15.01; 3. Emilio Beltran (H) 7:16.43; 4. Jesus Hernandez (H) 8:17.66
200 freestyle relay: 1. Hilltop (Raul Rico, Evan Rodriguez, Aidan Garces, Nic Garces) 1:47.49; 2. Bonita Vista (Caleb Hutchins, Derek Czapek, Cyrus Lopez, Ray Modregon) 1:49.07
100 backstroke: 1. Nikolas Kapetanios (H) 1:08.84; 2. Abner Fuentes (BV) 1:09.12; 3. Jason Evans (H) 1:23.96; 4. Jesus Hernandez (H) 1:38.77
100 breaststroke: 1. Petros Kapetanios (H) 1:17.49; 2. Derek Czapek (BV) 1:19.46; 3. Timothy Roa (H) 1:30.25; 4. Liam Romero (H) 1:32.52
400 freestyle relay: 1. Hilltop (Evan Rodriguez, Nikolas Kapetanios, Raul Rico, Petros Kapetanios) 4:45.59; 2. Hilltop (Jason Evans, Emilio Beltran, Silas Reyes, Wisam Zeidan) 5:13.76
Titans sink Mariners in Mesa League swim opener
The defending Mesa League champion Eastlake Titans made a splash in its opening swim/dive meet of the season by sweeping the Mar Vista Mariners March 11 at the Las Palmas pool. The Titans won the boys dual meet by a score of 91-79 and completed the sweep with a 126-41 victory on the girls side.
The Eastlake girls team captured first-place finishes in 10 of the 11 swimming events, with individual doubles recorded by Erin Gidley (200 freestyle, 500 freestyle), Emily Lundgren (200 individual medley, 100 breaststroke) and Maegan Ruane (50 freestyle, 100 freestyle).
Gidley timed 2:06 in the 200 freestyle and 5:36.5 in the 500 freestyle.
Lundgren timed 2:11.0 in the 200 IM and 1:07 in the breaststroke events.
Roane timed 27.32 in the 50 freestyle and 59.20 in the 100 freestyle.
Danielle Rivas (1:12.00 in the 100 butterfly) and Sabrina Phillips (1:22 in the 100 backstroke) also came up victorious for Eastlake in individual events.
The Eastlake boys team notched eight first-place finishes, led by individual doubles scored by Christian Johnson (50 freestyle and 100 freestyle) and Nate Bjornstad (100 butterfly and 100 breaststroke).
Johnson timed 23.19 in the 50 freestyle and 50.95 in the 100 freestyle.
Bjornstad timed 55.70 in the butterfly and 1:02.15 in the breaststroke.
Alex Tilley won the 200 IM in 2:11.11 and finished second in the breaststroke (1:06.08) in individual events for the Titans while Will Coziahr won the 500 freestyle in 5:27.48 and finished second in the 200 freestyle (2:01.16).
Eastlake won two of the three relay events — 1:49.45 (200 medley) and 3:32.00 (4×100 freestyle).
Mar Vista’s individual winners included Luke Wilson in the 200 freestyle (2:00.47) and Fletcher Field in the 100 backstroke (1:05.66). The Mariners won the 4×50 freestyle relay in 1:47.44.
