CIF Southern Section swimmers making a splash in postseason
— Before the CIF Southern Section swim team championships can be talked about, the table has to be set as to what happened a week prior at the Southwestern League swimming championships, where three league meet records were broken.
Murrieta Mesa’s Justin Schneider won the boys’ 50-yard freestyle in a time of 20.88 seconds, breaking the old mark of 21.30 set by Vista Murrieta’s Michael Jones in 2015. Great Oak’s Eric Wang won the boys’ 100 breaststroke in a time of 57.76, breaking the previous record of 57.91 set by Murrieta Valley’s Jacob Lammott in 2009. And finally, Murrieta Mesa’s 200 freestyle boys’ relay team, consisting of Maximus Dillon, Eryk Elizondo, Ty Schneider and his brother, Justin Schneider, crushed the league meet record with a time of 1:24.95. They bested the program’s previous mark of 1:27.41 set in 2019, back when Dillon and Justin Schneider were freshmen on the 2019 relay team.
Those record-breaking performances were simply amazing and they would set the tone for what was to come this past weekend, especially for Murrieta Mesa.
Wrapping up the SWL championships, Ty Schneider also won the boys’ 100 butterfly title in a time of 50.28, as well as the boys’ 200 freestyle (1:42.02) and 500 freestyle (4:36.17), while Elizondo won the boys’ 100 freestyle (47.07) and 100 backstroke (53.10). Eric Wang, of Great Oak, also won the boys’ 200 individual medley (1:55.80).
Murrieta Mesa had two double winners on the girls’ side as well. Sonja Aarsvold won the 50 freestyle (23.64) and 100 freestyle (51.81), while Emilee Elizondo won the 100 butterfly (57.32) and 100 backstroke (58.58).
The Murrieta Mesa boys’ team won the title at the meet with 334 points, beating out Murrieta Valley (293) and Great Oak (240). The Lady Wolfpack swimmers told a different story as they won the girls’ team title with 291 points to outswim Vista Murrieta (274) and Murrieta Mesa (225).
OK, now the CIF-SS swim team finals can be discussed. But really, it is quite simple. The Murrieta Mesa boys’ team conquered the Division 2 championship this season, a year after sharing the runner-up spot.
Unlike last year, where Murrieta Mesa’s Justin Schneider, Ty Schneider and Eryk Elizondo swam in multiple individual events, plus the relays, this year they each swam in one individual event and all three relays. The strategy worked as they came out on top in all three of the Division 2 relays Friday, May 6, at the Marguerite Aquatics Complex in Mission Viejo.
The Schneider brothers, and Elizondo teamed up with Maximus Dillon to win the 200-yard medley relay in a school-record time of 1 minute, 32.38 seconds. They then set a new Division 2 meet record by winning the 200-freestyle relay in 1:24.32, which was 0.11 seconds faster than the mark set by Los Osos in 2014. The Rams did it one more time when the Schneiders, Elizondo and Alexander Yang prevailed in the 400-freestyle with a time of 3:07.77.
As for the individual events, Ty Schneider finished fifth in the 200 individual medley (1:52.31), moving up one spot from his prelims position, and Elizondo placed eighth in the 50 freestyle (21.55), matching his position from the prelims. In the end, the relay victories were worth 120 points and after individual races were complete, Murrieta Mesa closed things out with 175 points for the program’s first section title. Roosevelt finished tied for second with Sonora (139 points).
Other local male standouts included Temescal Canyon’s Connor Martilla and West Valley’s Gage Dow. Martilla brought home a title and won the Division 3 boys 200 individual medley in 1:52.77. He also finished second in the 500 free (4:36.60). Dow finished second in the Division 4 boys 100 backstroke (57.88).
When it was time for the Murrieta Mesa girls’ team to take the water, Sonja Aarsvold was the lone double winner. Aarsvold swept the Division 3 sprint freestyle races, winning the 50 in a time of 23.98 and then the 100 in 51.65. At last season’s finals, she finished second in both the 100 and 200 freestyles. If those races weren’t enough, Aarsvold also anchored Murrieta Mesa’s freestyle relay teams, helping the Lady Rams take third place in the 200 relay and second in the 400. Emilee Elizondo had a fourth-place finish for the Lady Rams in the Division 3 girls’ butterfly. Murrieta Mesa finished third in the team standings, outscoring all other local opponents.
“Last year girls’ swim got first in CIF, this year they got third,” exclaimed Murrieta Mesa athletic director, John Broussard. “The boys’ got second last year and first this year! It is safe to say the Mesa Swim program is the new standard in the Inland Empire. “I am so proud, and all the credit goes to our amazing coach, Jenn Rose Beech, her staff, and the athletes who literally train their hearts out! They deserve the recognition and the college scholarships they are receiving!”
Other local female standouts included Vista Murrieta’s Leilani Abalos, who finished fifth in the Division 2 girls’ individual medley (2:07.57).
JP Raineri can be reached by email at sports@reedermedia.com.
