CONTACT US

Contact Form

    News Details

    Esperanza girls, Foothill boys pace new wave at Foothill Swim Games
    • April 16, 2023

    Support our high school sports coverage by becoming a digital subscriber. Subscribe now

    SANTA ANA — The Foothill Swim Games stroked closer to its golden anniversary with a small but grateful group of competitors who took advantage of their chance to race at the tradition-rich event Saturday.

    With multiple competing meets on the schedule and schools on spring break, several budding swimmers emerged at the 49th edition of the meet at Foothill High.

    Esperanza’s girls and Foothill’s boys — both contenders from the Crestview League — won the team competitions that featured Santa Margarita’s split-squad, Crean Lutheran and Villa Park.

    Andrew Teh of Crean Lutheran swims in the boys 100 yard butterfly final at the 49th annual Foothill Swim Games at Foothill High School in North Tustin on Saturday, April 15, 2023. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

    Jasmine Liu of Esperanza swims in the girls 200 yard IM final at the 49th annual Foothill Swim Games at Foothill High School in North Tustin on Saturday, April 15, 2023. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

    Ryley Yoo of Santa Margarita swims in the boys 200 yard IM final at the 49th annual Foothill Swim Games at Foothill High School in North Tustin on Saturday, April 15, 2023. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

    Chloe Hickman of Foothill swims in the girls 200 yard IM final at the 49th annual Foothill Swim Games at Foothill High School in North Tustin on Saturday, April 15, 2023. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

    Chloe Hickman of Foothill swims in the girls 100 yard butterfly final at the 49th annual Foothill Swim Games at Foothill High School in North Tustin on Saturday, April 15, 2023. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

    Jasmine Liu of Esperanza swims in the girls 200 yard IM final at the 49th annual Foothill Swim Games at Foothill High School in North Tustin on Saturday, April 15, 2023. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

    Jasmine Liu of Esperanza swims in the girls 200 yard IM final at the 49th annual Foothill Swim Games at Foothill High School in North Tustin on Saturday, April 15, 2023. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

    Jasmine Liu, left, of Esperanza and Chloe Hickman of Foothill congratulate each other after competing in the girls 200 yard IM final at the 49th annual Foothill Swim Games at Foothill High School in North Tustin on Saturday, April 15, 2023. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

    Tate Fitzgerald of Crean Lutheran swims in the boys 200 yard IM final at the 49th annual Foothill Swim Games at Foothill High School in North Tustin on Saturday, April 15, 2023. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

    Chloe Hickman of Foothill swims in the girls 200 yard IM final at the 49th annual Foothill Swim Games at Foothill High School in North Tustin on Saturday, April 15, 2023. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

    Teammates cheer on Jasmine Liu of Esperanza as she swims in the girls 200 yard IM final at the 49th annual Foothill Swim Games at Foothill High School in North Tustin on Saturday, April 15, 2023. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

    Teammates cheer on Chloe Hickman of Foothill as she swims in the girls 200 yard IM final at the 49th annual Foothill Swim Games at Foothill High School in North Tustin on Saturday, April 15, 2023. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

    Andrew Salladin of Esperanza swims in the boys 200 yard freestyle final at the 49th annual Foothill Swim Games at Foothill High School in North Tustin on Saturday, April 15, 2023. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

    Swimming fans watch the action in the 49th annual Foothill Swim Games at Foothill High School in North Tustin on Saturday, April 15, 2023. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

    of

    Expand

    Villa Park junior Allison Mann and Crean Lutheran senior Andrew Teh — training partners with the SOCAL club — earned swimmers of the meet honors after winning a pair of individual events and posting swift leadoff times in the 400-yard freestyle relay.

    “It’s a really fun environment,” Mann said the meet, which will celebrate its 50th anniversary next season. “Looking at the meet record times, they’re really fast here, and that just tells you how good this meet normally is.”

    No meet records fell Saturday but there were numerous strong efforts.

    Mann won two of her lesser-known events — the 200 freestyle (1 minute, 51.88 seconds) and the 100 butterfly (55.71) — and also led off the 400 free relay in 52.37.

    Mann, whose specializes in the 50 and 100 free, continues to extend her family’s legacy at Villa Park. Her mother Michelle and sister Jennifer swam at Villa Park, also the alma mater of her father John.

    “It’s really fun,” Mann of competing against the times of her mother and sister. “Last year, I ended up on our all-time list (at Villa Park), passing (my Mom) and my sister.”

    Santa Margarita’s powerhouse girls had won eight consecutive Foothill Swim Games titles but had swimmers at the California Catholic Challenge in Atherton and the Fran Crippen Memorial Swim Meet of Champions, a top club meet in Mission Viejo.

    Esperanza’s Jasmine Liu considered racing at the club meet but opted for the Aztecs and collected a pair of victories. The Minnesota-bound senior won the 200 individual medley in a school-record 2:04.52 and won the 500 free in 5:11.66.

    “It was tough deciding (my schedule),” said Liu, who will race at the club meet on Sunday. “This is only meet I’ve done well at all year, including club. I’ve been struggling a little bit but this meet for some reason, something just clicked.

    “My mindset changed and I’m really glad.”

    Esperanza’s girls swept all three relays and received two victories from junior Gillian Sato (50 free/100 back) and one from Alyssa Dimitriadis (100 free).

    “We’re swimming great, feeling great,” Esperanza girls coach Annette Nielsen said. “It’s getting me excited for the league finals and going on to CIF. They’re working extremely hard so they deserve it all.”

    Foothill’s boys held off Crean Lutheran for the team title. Junior Troy Lee led the Knights by winning the 100 (48.05) and 200 (1:44.82) freestyles. Sophomore Jaiden Crivello — who played junior varsity water polo in the fall for Foothill  — won the 50 free in 21.98.

    Related Articles

    High School Sports |


    Orange County swimming records, leading times, April 14

    High School Sports |


    Busy weekend for high school swimming invitationals

    High School Sports |


    Orange County girls athlete of the week: Teagan O’Dell, Santa Margarita

    High School Sports |


    Orange County swimming, diving leaderboard, March 23

    High School Sports |


    Mater Dei boys, girls pace Orange County at Mission Viejo swimming, diving invitational

    Teh, a senior bound for Cal Baptist, threatened the meet record in the 100 backstroke with a first-place touch of 50.54. He also won the butterfly in season-best 49.61 and ledoff the 400 free relay with a lifetime-best 46.41.

    “I’m proud of that one,” Teh said of his relay split. “I left it all in the pool.”

    Crean Lutheran’s Tate Fitzgerald, a senior bound for Biola, also doubled with victories in the 200 IM (1:55.94) and 100 breaststroke (57.72).

    “I’m looking forward to CIF and state, especially with our team,” he said.

    ​ Orange County Register 

    News