This weekend, three of the most accomplished swimming programs in Southern California, Irvine Novaquatics, Rose Bowl Aquatics, and Canyons Aquatic Club, came together to compete in the Star League Championships.
The meet was the championship after a series of dual meets among the teams. The teams participating in the Star League wanted to hold a unique kind of series for age groupers, implementing a shortened, college-style dual season with a championship meet where swimmers compete for their team above all.
Novaquatics topped the girls’, boys’, and combined team scores, boasting a combined 2,884 points to Rose Bowl’s 2,389 and Canyons’s 1,847.
Star League Championships 2016 Team Scores
Star League Championships 2016 Full Results
In the 8-10 age group, Nova’s Claire Fu and Ramon Jiang scored major points for their teams. Fu won the 100 free (1:00.62), the 200 free (2:12.86), and the 100 IM (31.81), while Jiang took the 50 free (28.03), the 200 free (2:10.20), and the 100 IM (1:10.36).
In the 11-12 girls age group, Nova’s Lindsay Ervin, Canyons’s Caitlin Tang, and Nova’s Aileen Pham each doubled up on wins. Ervin took first in the sprint free events with 25.44 in the 50 and 56.11 in the 100, Tang won the 50 breast in 32.08 and the 50 fly in 28.54, and Pham took the 200 IM in 2:14.85 and the 200 free in 2:01.91.
Jason Kim of Nova was the top-winning 11-12 boy, with first place finishes in the 50 fly (27.33), the 50 back (28.70), and the 50 free (24.43).
Nova’s duo of Amanda Hsieh and Sage Matsushima each grabbed a win and two runner-up finishes for the 13-14 girls. Hsieh finished first in the 100 free (54.22), second in the 50 free (25.45), and second in the 200 free (1:56.84). Matsushima won the 100 back in 59.48 and took her runner-up finishes in the 100 free (55.62) and the 100 fly (59.87).
Rose Bowl’s 13-14 swimmer Mark McCrary doubled up on wins with 51.74 in the 100 free and 56.20 in the 100 back.
Fifteen-year-old Ayla Spitz of Nova also grabbed double victories in the 15-18 age group, winning the 100 back in 58.19 and the 50 free in 24.95. Rose Bowl’s Tiare Coker won both the 200 free (1:55.05) and the 100 fly (57.52) in the same age group. Fifteen-year-old Owen Kao of Nova also took a pair of 15-18 wins, taking the 100 free in 46.99 and the 200 free in 1:40.17.