Oaks Christian pools its energy at TVL championships
By Thomas Gase tgase@theacorn.com

The Tri-Valley League Swimming Championships were held this past week, and Oaks Christian and La Reina high schools dominated the event.

The Oaks Christian boys finished in first place with 442 points. La Reina girls' tied for first with Malibu High by posting 292 points. Oaks Christian finished in third place in the girls' division with 260 points.

OCHS won the boys' 200medley relay with a 1:39.03. The team was led by sophomore Collin Barratte, junior Michael Craft, and seniors Ryan Balikian and Mikey Blanchard.

Oaks Christian continued to do well in relay events, winning the 200 and 400 freestyle races. The Lions, led by Barratte, Craft, Blanchard and freshman Chase Bloch, posted a time of 1:29.79 in the 200 and a 3:20.08 in the 400. Junior Sam Duimovich replaced Barratte in the 400.

OCHS completely dominated the boys' individual 200 freestyle, placing the top four swimmers. Bloch won the event with a 1:46.74. He also won the 500 freestyle with a time of 4:45.25.

Dylan Duimovich of Oaks Christian won the 200 IM with a time of 2:06.09. However, the Lions' best swimmer on the day may have been Blanchard.

Blanchard took home firstplace honors in the 50 and 100 freestyle events. Blanchard's time in the 50 was 22.38, while his time in the 100 was 49.43.

Lion junior Kevin Nielsen won the 100-yard butterfly with a mark of 53.25, just barely beating teammate Barratte, who finished with a 53.90. Barratte would win the 100 backstroke with a mark of 54.46.

OCHS also won the girls' 200medley relay with a time of 2:00.53. Swimming for the Lions were freshman Chelsea Balikian, junior Julia Greig, and seniors Allison Hall and Alex Kaplan. La Reina finished in second place.

Oaks Christian barely beat La Reina again for first place in the 200 freestyle. OCHS posted a 1:45.79 with a team consisting of Balikian, senior Erika Coble, junior Allie Beckmeyer and sophomore Stephanie Fleitz.

La Reina would finally win a girls' relay event in the 400-yard freestyle with a time of 3:50.17. The Regents' team consisted of Laura DeCesare, Veronica Espino, Danielle Sack and April Hubbard.

In the girls' 200 freestyle, La Reina's DeCesare came out on top with a time of 1:55.73. DeCesare also won the 100 breast stroke.

In the girls' 200 IM, it was Hall who came out on top for OCHS. Hall posted a time of 2:14.94. Hall continued to do well in the 100-yard butterfly, where she also came in first place by finishing in 1:00.50.

Hall's teammate, Erin Rosas, helped OCHS by winning the 50 freestyle and the 100 freestyle. The junior finished at 26.13 in the 50, while her time in the 100 was 56.85.

Oaks Christian freshman Hayley Shillington won the girls' 500 freestyle with a time of 5:12.77. Shillington continued to excel in the 100 backstroke, where she finished first with a mark of 1:02.45.

The CIF-Southern Section Swimming Finals take place Thursday through Saturday at the Belmont Plaza Olympic Pool in Long Beach. Tri-Valley League swimmers will compete in Division III.