Girls swimming: National recognition for Newport

Joseph Boo

Here’s yet another in a long list of indications that Newport

Harbor High’s 2000 girls swim team is one of the premiere swim programs

in Orange County.

The Sailors were ranked in nine events in the National High School

All-American list, compiled by public high school coaches from around the

nation. That’s nine more events then last year’s team, though Newport

Coach Ken LaMont didn’t submit applications for that squad.

But he was highly doubtful anybody from 1999 could have been ranked.

The fact that Newport was ranked in nine events this year says quite a

lot about Newport’s resurgence, though a second-place finish in the CIF

Southern Section Division I says more than enough.

The one catch of the All-American lists is that coaches have to submit

the times to be considered. Hence, some notable names, like Canyon’s Erin

Volcan, are not ranked.

But that doesn’t make it a non-prestigious list. In comparison to

Newport’s nine places, three-time CIF Southern Section Division I

champion Irvine ranked in five events, with No. 31 its highest showing.

Newport’s highest ranking was No. 3, by Carly Geehr in the 200-meter

freestyle with a time of 1:49.45. She is one of only three Orange County

swimmers to have a top-three ranking, along with Olympic hopeful Kaitlin

Sandeno and Esperanza’s Erin Sieper.

Geehr, who will be a junior next year, is rated in two more events,

No. 10 in the 500 free (4:50.72), and 48th in the 100 breaststroke (1:05.53).

Newport sophomore Nicole Mackey was ranked in four events. She was

ninth in the 200 individual medley (2:03.10), 31st in the 100 butterfly

(57.11), 36th in the 100 backstroke 57.91) and 38th in the 200 free

(1:51.90).

Sophomore Hayley Peirsol was No. 44 in the 500 free (4:59.65), and

Newport had two relay teams ranked. Its 200 medley relay of Peirsol,

Geehr, Mackey and Amy Murphy was 38th with a 1:49.28, and its 400 free

relay of Mackey, Peirsol, Murphy and Geehr was 19th with a 3:32.32.

And how did Newport’s swim program end up with so many quality

swimmers? “We got really lucky,” LaMont said.

Murphy was the only Newport swimmer to qualify for the CIF finals in

1999. This year, Geehr, Mackey and Peirsol were all new to Newport’s

team, and along with Murphy, who graduated, propelled Newport’s season.

Geehr transferred over from Mayfield Senior School in Pasadena, and

once she recovered from a rotator cuff injury, she placed second in the

200 free in Division I and third in the 500 free.

Mackey, who swims for the Irvine AquaZot Swim Club, was second in the

100 fly in Division I and third in the 200 IM. Peirsol, the younger

sister of Newport junior and men’s Olympic hopeful Aaron Peirsol, swims

for Irvine Novaquatics and placed seventh in the 500 free at the Division

I finals.

“If you look at a powerhouse like Irvine, they’re fortunate with their

location. They draw a lot of club swimmers from that area. In the past,

we always had one or two club swimmers. This is the first time we had

this many come into the school at one time, and at this high a level.”

Considering Geehr still has two years left of school, and Mackey and

Peirsol have three, Newport expects to continue swimming at a fast clip.

“We certainly made a name for ourselves, didn’t we,” LaMont said.

“I’ll tell you one thing, (our swimmers) are really making it happen. A

lot of girls are getting involved, and our training is certainly at a

higher level. We should be performing at this level for quite a while.”