Pirates edged by Rustlers at OEC Championships
HUNTINGTON BEACH -- The Orange Coast College men's swim team was narrowly edged out by host Golden West College and finished second overall at the 2013 Orange Empire Conference Swim/Dive Championships this past weekend.
The Pirates finished the three-day event with 771 total points, just 13 points behind the Rustlers' score of 784. Riverside finished third with 599 points, while Saddleback (467), Fullerton (293), Cypress (236) and Santa Ana (161) round out the team scores.
On Thursday, Coast was sitting in second place behind GWC with 236 points, thanks to a pair of first-place performances.
In the 400-yard medley relay, the Pirate foursome of Garritt Hill, Chris Bernard, Tyler Jankovich and Sean Richards touched the wall first with a winning time of 3 minutes, 24.98 seconds. Golden West finished second with a 3:26.91, while Saddleback (3:36.61) took third.
In the 3-meter diving event, an impressive performance was turned in by OCC's Brandon Thomas, who topped the field with an overall score of 286.10. Fullerton's Justin Choi was second with a 242.10, while OCC's Alex Pasillas (239.30) finished third.
On Friday, the Pirates picked up for more wins and pulled ahead of the Rustlers in the overall team score.
In the 200 medley relay, Hill, Bernard, Jankovich and Richards again led the way in the water with a winning time of 1:33.64, just ahead of the Rustlers (1:35.34) and Gauchos (1:38.16).
Jankovich showed some individual talents as well, winning the 100 butterfly with a championship time of 50.32.
In the 100 breaststroke, Bernard jumped out to an early lead and held on for the victory, touching the wall first with a time of 58.36, just ahead of GWC's Riley Matranga (58.44).
In the 1-meter diving event, it was Thomas again who topped the field, edging out teammate Pasillas with a score of 254.00. His strong two-day performance helped earn Thomas the the OEC Male Diver of the Year.
On Saturday, the host Rustlers came on strong, winning five-of-six events to pull ahead of the Pirates for the OEC title.
The Pirates will return to action on Thursday through Saturday in the 2013 California Community College State Swim/Dive Championships, held at East L.A. College.
