High School Swimming: Thorsness finishes strong

RIVERSIDE — Costa Mesa High senior Kellie Thorsness could say she was twice in the pool for history during Thursday night’s CIF Southern Section Division 3 swimming championships.

The main attraction in the girls’ 50- and 100-yard freestyles was Crean Lutheran junior Lindsey Engel. She won both events in meet record and Orange County record times of 22.53 seconds and 48.96, respectively.

But Thorsness still was much more than just a spectator in the final swim meet of her prep career.

She finished a strong second place in both races at Riverside City College, highlighting a strong overall showing for the Mustangs girls and boys.

Costa Mesa’s girls finished 16th as a team; Crean Lutheran won the title. The Mustangs boys were 15th, and Riverside J.W. North won the team title.

Thorsness was second in the 50 free at CIF for the second straight year, touching in 24.38 seconds. She also was second in the 100 free, in 53.64.

The times were not personal-bests for Thorsness, who owns the school record in both events, but she was more than happy with both of her races.

“I was trying to go as hard as I could,” Thorsness said. “I knew I was against Lindsey. It’s nice to have real competition, but it’s also nerve-wracking. I didn’t really know what to expect.”

Thorsness said after her 50 free that she wanted to go under 54 seconds in the 100. She accomplished that, finishing strong in the second half of the race. She dropped more than a second off her time from the preliminaries.

“I knew I was [seeded] fifth, but I just wanted to come out as hard as I could,” she said. “I didn’t expect to get second, or the time that I got. I’m really surprised.

“I feel really accomplished. I mean, it’s not easy to come out here and do something like that. I’m good with second.”

Costa Mesa girls’ coach Tim Postiff said that he saw a spark from Thorsness.

“The 100, that’s the most competitive she’s been all year,” Postiff said. “She could have easily dropped all the way to fifth, they were all touching so fast.”

Costa Mesa’s boys were led by a pair of quick juniors. Tyler Connors finished fifth in the 100 backstroke in 55.57, dropping more than half a second from the preliminaries.

“I felt like I swam an OK race in the prelims, so I really wanted to swim very well today,” Connors said. “I think I did that. I think I came out pretty good, did my race and got rewarded for it. Fifth place is great for me.”

Connors was seventh in the 200 individual medley, in 2:02.89.

Mesa junior Mason Cooper was fifth in the 50 free, in 22.05. He followed that up with a seventh-place finish in the 100 free (48.48). He said he had trouble dealing with the bulkhead wall in place at CIF finals, but he was happy with his swims.

“Tyler and I love competing with each other, and just seeing how far we can push each other to go,” Cooper said.

Costa Mesa boys’ coach Justin Taylor said he was also pleased with the talented juniors.

“I think they did exactly what they had hoped they would do,” Taylor said. “I’m sure they might have wanted to finish a little bit higher, but their times were where they should have been.”

Among others in championship final races, Costa Mesa’s girls were sixth in the 200 freestyle relay. Aubry Hill, Kaitlyn Hill, Lauren Smith and Thorsness finished in 1:44.67.

Smith swam in a pair of consolation finals. She was 12th in the 200 free (2:03.55) and 16th in the 100 free (57.23).

Estancia and Sage Hill each had one swimmer at the CIF finals. Eagles freshman Brandi White finished 16th in the girls’ 100 backstroke (1:05.65), and Sage freshman Chris Wan was 16th in the boys’ 500 free (5:08.27).

Estancia Coach Bob Bandaruk said White, who won the backstroke at Orange Coast League finals, was his first swimmer in years to win a league title.

“She’s a competitor, but she missed not having her friends here at this meet,” Bandaruk said.