Winning tradition continues for Valhalla swimmers

By Phillip Brents

Posted May 15, 2005

Swim fast and become a champion. It’s become a mantra for the Valhalla High School boys swim team, which wrapped up its ninth consecutive league championship by defeating Granite Hills for this year’s Grossmont South League dual meet title.

The Norsemen hoped to use this year’s Grossmont South League championship meet as a launching pad to something greater: a San Diego Section Division II title.

"Our chances are very good. We finished second last year. We have everybody back," Valhalla coach Kent Houston said. "Our young swimmers have significantly improved. Our second tier swimmers have made significant improvement."

Valhalla last won the Division II title in two seasons ago after winning back-to-back Division I championships in 2000 and 2001. The Norsemen finished second to Valley Center by 19 points at last year’s Division II championships. This year’s championship meet is scheduled May 21 at Rancho Bernardo High School. The Division II meet is slated to start at 9 a.m. The Division I meet follows at 3 p.m.

Valhalla edged Granite Hills by four points to claim the team title at this year’s Grossmont South League championship meet May 14 at Helix High School as teams hit the pool to start postseason competition. The Norsemen took first-place finishes in eight of the 11 events to finish with 325 points. Granite Hills, which will compete in the Division I championship meet, finished with two first-place finishes to score 321 points.

Senior Carlos Rivera and sophomore Wes Thompson each won two individual events to highlight Valhalla’s championship performance at this year’s league finals. Rivera, who was a member of the 2003 CIF championship squad, timed 52.99 to win the 100-yard butterfly event and captured the 100 backstroke in 56.85. Thompson won the 500 freestyle in 5:04.49, winning by nearly 11 seconds. His winning margin in the 100 breaststroke was by more than four seconds with a time of 1:02.85.

Junior Joe Rizk captured an individual league championship in the 50 freestyle by hitting the touch pad in 22.63. He finished second in the 100 freestyle to Steele Canyon senior Jason Stacks by one-tenth of a second, timing 50.01.

The Norsemen won all three relay events, clocking 1:45.96 in the 200 medley relay, 1:33.50 in the 200 freestyle relay and 3:28.07 in the 400 freestyle relay. Valhalla won by more than seven seconds in the 400 relay.

The Norsemen took first- and second-place finishes in the league diving championships held May 10 to help provide the margin of victory at this year’s league championship meet. Defending Division II champion Tanner Knorr took first place, followed by teammate Ethan Fabrikant, who finished second at last year’s CIF finals.

Rivera, Rizk and Thompson, along with senior teammate Brandon Kelch, comprise what Houston likes to call the team’s "Four Horsemen." Rivera’s specialty events include the butterfly and backstroke while Kelch swims the 100 and 200 freestyle distances, Thompson the 500 freestyle and breaststroke and Rizk the 50 and 100 freestyle sprints.

Rizk, Thompson and Rivera were part of last year’s winning 200 medley relay unit at the division finals. In individual events, Rivera placed second in the 100 butterfly (53.05) and fifth in the 100 backstroke (57.18) while Rizk was second in the 100 backstroke (54.27) and fourth in the 200 freestyle (1:48.38) and Thompson was fourth in the 100 breaststroke (1:03.61).

Kelch, Thompson, Rizk and Rivera were third in the 400 freestyle relay that timed 3:20.56.

The Valhalla swimmers have already turned in faster times this season.

Grossmont took first-place finishes in seven of the 11 swimming events to capture this year’s Grossmont North League boys championship title in competition May 14 at Grossmont High School. Matt Clements (56.97 in the 100 butterfly and 50.23 in the 100 freestyle) and Kyle Oates (22.20 in the 50 freestyle and 1:03.55 in the 100 breaststroke) each won two individual events for the Foothillers, who topped the entry field with 340 points. Grossmont also received winning times from David Lefstein in the 200 IM (2:03.91) as well as in the 200 medley (1:45.23) and 400 freestyle (3:35.32) relays.

West Hills’ Justin Canty won both the 200 freestyle (1:47.14) and 500 freestyle (4:52.78). He is the defending Division II champion in both events. The Wolf Pack, which finished second in the team standings with 306 points, also won the 200 freestyle relay in 1:35.17.

El Cajon Valley finished third with 148 points, followed by Santana with 140 points and El Capitan with 121 points.