WALNUT — Failure, however it is measured, can be the best fuel to fire up an athlete.
Riverside Poly junior swimmer Ava DeAnda was clearly disappointed following a fourth-place finish in the CIF Southern Section Division 1 girls 200-yard freestyle championship race Saturday afternoon at the Mt. San Antonio College Aquatics Center.
DeAnda had about 45 minutes to reflect on that performance, clear her mind and prepare for the next race: the 100 freestyle, a race DeAnda has never lost as a high school swimmer. The streak continued, as DeAnda posted a time of 48.92 seconds, nearly a second faster than the rest of the field.
DeAnda has captured three section titles in the 100 freestyle, the past two coming in Division 1. She now will try to claim a third straight CIF State championship in that event. The state meet will take place May 15 to 17 at Clovis West High School.
“I got my get-back,” DeAnda said about winning the title. “I got a little mad after my swim in the 200, so I had to cool down, collect myself and put it all on the line for the 100. I told myself they can’t all be winners, so I just had to motivate myself for the next one.”
Riverside Poly finished sixth in the girls team standings with 115 points. DeAnda, Presley McPhail, Isabelle Suarez and Lucy Bilhartz had a pair of fifth-place finishes in the 200 freestyle relay (1:36.59) and in the 200 medley relay (1:45.99). McPhail finished 12th in the 100 backstroke (58.24) and 14th in the 100 butterfly (56.96).
Santiago sophomore Charlotte Milkie also turned frustration into success Saturday afternoon, and it just so happened to be the two same events as DeAnda. Milkie was sixth in the 200 freestyle (1:49.49) but rebounded well and finished second to DeAnda in the 100 freestyle with a time of 49.85. That marked the first time Milkie went under 50 seconds in that event.
“I write down positive affirmations before races. I started thinking about those,” Milkie said. “I couldn’t do anything about the 200, so I just focused on doing my best in the 100. I was excited when I saw the time and place. I’ve been trying for a 49 for a while.”
Santiago tied for seventh place in the team standings with 114 points. Senior Brinley Knoll placed sixth in the 100 breaststroke (1:02.99) and eighth in the 200 individual medley (2:02.32). Brooke DeMarco was 13th in the breaststroke (1:05.07). Milkie, Knoll, DeMarco and Madison Hem finished sixth in the 200 freestyle relay (1:36.73). Milkie, Knoll, Hem and Allie Fields placed 11th in the 200 medley relay (1:48.02).
Knoll has collected seven Division 1 medals in individual events and two more medals from the relays throughout her career.
“I’ve loved every minute, and I’ve always been grateful every time I get to step on those blocks and represent Santiago,” said Knoll, who is headed to BYU. “This meet gets faster every year. I’m always honored to be out here with the best of the best.”
Damien’s Ryder Davis placed fourth in the boys 100 butterfly (49.24) and seventh in the 100 backstroke (50.65), and he teamed with Zechariah Verduzco-Murphy, Kirill Chacon and Andrew Ramallo for an 11th-place finish in the medley relay (1:35.25).
King’s Alyssa Bian finished seventh in the girls 100 butterfly (55.47) and 16th in the 200 freestyle (1:52.42), while her teammate Viviana Perez placed 16th in the 500 freestyle (5:06.33).
Diamond Bar’s Yide Li finished 11th in the boys 500 freestyle (4:38.26), and teammate Tyler Huey placed 13th in the 200 freestyle (1:42.16).
The unquestioned standout of the meet once again was Santa Margarita senior Teagan O’Dell. who is a resident of Chino Hills.
O’Dell captured the Division 1 girls 200 individual medley title for the fourth consecutive season. Her time of 1:53.43 was a division record and only .05 seconds off her national record. O’Dell also claimed the backstroke title with another division record time of 51.09. She also was on two wining relays as the Eagles won the team title for the 11th straight time.
