MEN'S & WOMEN'S SWIMMING: Ventura College swimmers competed in the third Western State Conference meet of the season Friday at Los Angeles Pierce College, with the men placing second of four teams and the women finishing fifth of the five competing schools. Nick Vallejo turned in a pair of individual firsts and was part of the meet-winning 200-yard medley relay with teammates Joe Yamamoto, Chris Sands, and Mitchell Ongstad, as well. Sands also recorded a pair of individual first place finishes while Nick Miranda also recorded an individual first. Abbey Brooks and Sara Koler both earned points in two individual events and a relay.
Vallejo won the 50-yard freestyle (21.99) and the 500-yard freestyle (4:54.07) while Sands won the 200-yard butterfly (1:59.27) and the 200-yard backstroke (2:08.50). Miranda was first in the 1000-yard freestyle (11:05.67). The 200-yard medley relay team (Vallejo, Yamamoto, Sands, and Ongstad) posted a winning time of 1:42.46. Miranda also finished fourth in the 500-yard freestyle while Yamamoto earned points in the 50-yard freestyle (7th) and 200-yard breaststroke (2nd). Ongstad was seventh in the 200-yard freestyle.
Kyle Berg posted a pair of runner-up finishes in the 200-yard individual medley and 200-yard backstroke, respectively, while Alec Kruse was second in the 200-yard freestyle and fourth in the 100-yard freestyle. Shea O'Shea earned points in the 1,000-yard freestyle (2nd) and 100-yard freestyle (5th) and Ridrigo Siracusa placed in the 200-yard backstroke (5th) and 200-yard breast stroke (4th). The 400-yard freestyle relay (Ongstad, Kruse, Berg, and O'Shea) also finished second.
The women's 200-yard medley relay team (Brooks, Jessica Peace, Koler, and Jessica Gean) finished third while Brooks was sixth in both the 200-yard freestyle and 100-yard backstroke. Koler placed in the 200-yard individual medley (3rd) and 100-yard freestyle (8th) while Peace earned points in the 100-yard breast stroke (3rd).
The Pirate swim teams next take to the pool at the Pasadena Invitational on Saturday April 4 before heading to Los Angeles Valley College for the WSC Championships April 17-19.