Support our high school sports coverage by becoming a digital subscriber. Subscribe now
Santa Margarita swimmer Teagan O’Dell narrowly missed setting an Orange County record in a sixth event on Friday.
The junior still impressed to help highlight the final day of league finals throughout the county.
O’Dell put a major scare into the county record in the 200-yard freestyle by clocking a time of 1 minute, 43.26 seconds at the Trinity League finals at Santa Margarita. The reigning O.C. female athlete of the year missed the 2015 county record of Olympian Katie McLaughlin (1:43.01) by just over two-tenths of a second.
O’Dell split the first 100 yards in 50.34, which was right on McLaughlin’s split of 50.33 for Santa Margarita as the Division 1 finals during her senior year.
O’Dell held on well during the second half of the race en route to a lifetime-best and the second-fastest high school time in the nation for 2023-24.
She later won the 100 backstroke in a county-leading 51.38, about four-tenths off her county record of 50.96.
O’Dell set the county record in the 100 free (48.55) in late March, and last season set new standards in the 200 individual medley (1:53.38) and 100 breaststroke (59.73). Her IM remains the national high school record.
O’Dell teamed with double-winner and fellow Cal commit Gracyn Aquino on leading Santa Margarita’s girls to the team title. Aquino swept the 50 (22.87) and 100 (county-leading 49.95).
Hunter Cehelnik and Daniel Verdolaga both won twice to lead Santa Margarita’s boys to the title.
Verdolaga challenged the county record in the 100 butterfly by touching in 46.84, about four-tenths of a second off David Schmitt’s record (46.47) last season for San Juan Hills.
In the Pacific Coast League: Portola’s boys claimed their first league title and the Woodbridge girls defended their crown at Beckman. The Bulldogs showed their depth in scoring 486 points to dethrone Northwood at 445.5.
Woodbridge senior Jacob Wang won the 50 free in a county-leading 20.35.
In the North Hills League: The host Spartans’ boys and girls swept team titles.
San Diego State-bound Allison Mann won the 50 (23.21) and 100 (50.37) freestyles for the Villa Park girls. Freshman Chloe Teger (500 free, 4:56.47) and sophomore Lucy Flynn (200 free, 1:50.92) added victories.
In the South Coast League: Tesoro’s girls and San Clemente’s boys won the team competitions at Capistrano Valley.
San Clemente sophomore Zoe DeFabrique captured the 500 free in a county-leading 4:53.17 and the 200 free in 1:50.21.
Related Articles
Top Orange County swimming times entering Friday’s league finals, April 26
Five Orange County divers, Edison boys and girls swimming claim titles
Top 10 Orange County swimmers to watch this week in league finals (updated)
Top Orange County swimming times entering league finals, April 23
Orange County swimming schedule for this week’s league finals
Leave a Reply