Pirates edge Rustlers for OEC Swim/Dive title
MISSION VIEJO -- It was a total team effort for the Orange Coast College men's swim/dive team this past weekend at the Orange Empire Conference Championships at Saddleback College as the Pirates captured the OEC crown against some of the top schools in all of Southern California.
With several top-three performances, the Pirates took the top team spot with 852 points, edging out rival Golden West, who finished second with 811 points, followed by Riverside City College (650), Cypress (325) and Saddleback (289).
Coast earned gold medals in two individual events and two relay events throughout the three-day event.
In the 400 medley relay, the foursome of Oscar Cruz, Darius Walach and Brenden Bellavia set the pace throughout the race and touched the wall first with a winning time of 3:31.55. The 400 freestyle relay pulled off the same result with a first-place time of 3:50.1.
Li picked up a gold medal in the 200 butterfly with a time of 1:53.32, while in the 200 freestyle, it was OCC's Gavin McNeal bringing home the top time of 1:43.89.
Complete results from the OEC Championships can be found by clicking HERE. Top-three performances for the Pirates are listed below.
Up next for Coast will be the 3C2A Swimming/Diving State Championships, which will take place at Santa Rosa Junior College, May 1-3.
ORANGE EMPIRE CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIPS
TOP-3 RESULTS
FIRST
400 Medley Relay (Oscar Cruz, Darius Walach, Kevin Li, Brenden Bellavia), 3:31.55
400 Freestyle Relay -- 3:50.1
200 Freestyle -- Gavin McNeal, 1:43.89
200 Butterfly -- Kevin Li, 1:53.32
SECOND
200-Freestyle Relay (Evan Lim, Kaua Mota, Ryan Xu, Brenden Bellavia), 1:24.34
500 Freestyle -- Gavin McNeal, 4:42.21
100 Individual Medley -- Evan Lim, 51.0
200 Individual Medley -- Evan Lim, 1:54.02
100 Butterfly -- Kaua Mota, 50.03'
100 Breaststroke -- Evan Lim, 56.66
200 Medley Relay (Evan Lim, Kaua Mota, Ryan Xu, Darius Walach), 1:32.87
200 Breaststroke -- Darius Walach, 2:06.73
1,650 Freestyle -- Gavin McNeal, 16:30.8
THIRD
200 Individual Medley -- Kevin Li, 1:56.41
400 Individual Medley -- Kevin Li, 4:10.56
100 Butterfly -- Ryan Xu, 50.8
100 Breaststroke -- Kaua Mota, 56.84
800 Freestyle Relay (Darius Walach, Evan Lim, Sam Brooks, Gavin McNeal), 6:58.24
1M Diving -- Sam Brooks, 173.30
100 Individual Medley -- Sam Brooks, 54.66
200 Backstroke -- Merrik Riddle, 2:00.72
100 Freestyle -- Ryan Xu, 46.92
