California Interscholastic Federation Southern Section Division III High School State Championships

By Brian Savard

LONG BEACH, California, May 19. OAKS Christian foreshadowed the way the rest of the CIF Southern Section Division III men's meet would unfold after the 200 medley relay wreaked havoc on the former division record in the meet's first event.

Oaks Christian whipped the rest of the field with a final point total of 377. Cerritos finished more than 200 points back and finished second with 169 points. La Serna finished out in third (145).

The Oaks Christian 200 medley relay team (Collin Baratte, Nolan Koon, Chase Bloch and Michael Craft) blasted the field in the opening event with a time of 1:33.78. The contingent overtook the former division record in the event (1:35.25), which Walnut set back in 1992. Oaks Christian returned in the 200 freestyle relay, breaking another division record as the quartet of Koon, Craft, Bloch and Kevin Nielsen fired off a quick 1:24.73 performance. That swim bettered the former division mark of 1:26.76, which La Serna set in 1993. Oaks Christian completed the sweep in the 400 freestyle relay as Sam Duimovich, Baratte, Tyler Reardon and Nielsen posted a winning time of 3:13.65.

Koon reeled in two more gold medals with wins in the 200 IM and the 100 breaststroke. Koon won by more than four and a half seconds in the IM event, clocking a 1:50.06. His swim improved upon the former division record of 1:51.16, which Suichi Matsumoto of Laguna Hills set back in 1992. Koon fired off another win with a 56.25 100 breaststroke. His breaststroke fell well short of the seemingly untouchable division record of 54.42, which Rickie Gill of Palm Springs set in 1982.

Nielsen also picked up two more wins for Oak Christian. Nielsen distanced himself from the pack in the second half of the 200 freestyle, winning the event in 1:40.82. Later in the meet, he picked up win No. 2 with a 49.53 100 butterfly.

Alwin Firmansyah of Cerritos broke up the Oaks Christian monopoly of wins with two individual event victories in the sprint freestyle events. Firmansyah placed first in the 50 (21.46) and 100 (47.10) freestyles.

Women's Results
A closer battle ensued on the women's side for the championship. El Segundo emerged as the 2008 Division III champions with 222 points. Cerritos took second with 202 points while Santiago (Corona) scored 192 points and placed third.

Madison Fitzgerald of Calvary Chapel picked up wins in each of the sprint freestyle events, winning the 50 freestyle in 23.58 and the 100 freestyle in 52.15.

Lynette Lim from Palm Springs claimed the other two freestyle events. She garnered the top laurels in the 200 freestyle (1:49.12) before disposing of the field in the 500 freestyle (4:50.65).

Diving Results
Clay Pickney of San Gorgonio scored a 441.90 and earned the gold medal in the men's diving competition. Ethan Merritt from San Luis Obispo took home the silver with a score of 407.10 while Daniel Kelley of Arroyo Grande took third (362.60).

Atascadero's Elizabeth Foran won on the women's side, scoring a 380.90. Maithili Mody from Cerritos finished up in second with a 362.90 score while Tessa Merritt from San Luis Obispo rounded out the top three finishers with a third-place score of 321.95.

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