Dolphins Swim into History

Pali High Boys Set Seven Records En Route to Fourth City Title in a Row; Girls Win Seventh Straight

By STEVE GALLUZZO | Sports Editor

Last Friday’s City Section Swim Championships will forever be remembered as the “Palisades Invitational” after the Dolphins swept the boys and girls crowns to keep their latest dynasty going strong.

Once their work was done, the Dolphins made the indoor pool at East LA College their own personal playground with a celebratory dip after what assistant coach Peter Fishler called an “unprecedented performance” by the boys.

“Time for time, we’ve never seen anything like this in the City,” said Fishler, a former Dolphins captain himself. “Considering all the records we set, this is the most dominant any City team has ever been.”

Palisades racked up 584 points on the way to its fourth consecutive title and no one was more impressive than junior Kian Brouwer, who set three individual records and swam on two record-breaking relays.

First, he broke a 39-year-old City record to win the 200-yard freestyle in 1:38.55, then he clocked 48.42 for a new section record in the 100 butterfly.

After Roy Yoo won the 100 freestyle, Brouwer swam the first leg of the 200 freestyle relay in a record time of 20.77 to spark the Dolphins’ new standard of 1:26.06.

“I wanted to go after the records,” Brouwer said. “I felt confident in the fly but not in the 200, although having Zach Senator and Hunter Loncar in the 200 with me helped. I didn’t really get tired because we do it everyday in workouts, so there wasn’t much difference.”

Senator, a senior, wanted to make his last City meet memorable and picked the occasion to ask his girlfriend, Pali High soccer player Kaitlyn Parcell, to Saturday’s prom in a most clever way.

“I gave the meet announcer a script to read, directing her attention the blocks, then I held up a sign saying ‘Will you go the prom with me?,’ explained Senator, who presented Parcell with a dozen pink and white roses. “I’m glad she said ‘Yes.’ It was a nice way to kind of relax me and take my mind off the meet for a few minutes.”

After finishing third in the 200 freestyle behind Brouwer and Loncar, Senator took an early lead on  his way to winning the 500 freestyle. He also swam the final event, the 400 freestyle relay, which  won in record time.

Asked to put his high school career in perspective, Senator struggled to find the words.

“It hasn’t sunk in yet, but they always say the last one is the hardest to get,” said Senator, who will graduate having been part of eight City championship teams (four in water polo, four in swimming). “I was a little disappointed after the 200 – I wanted to better in that – but I re-set my mind for the 500 and I’m glad I was able to win that. It’s been an incredible  experience.”

Fellow senior Michael Cutidioc clocked 51.08 to break his own record in the 100 backstroke.

“That one hurt but I kept going and going,” Cutidioc said. “I was feeling the pain on the last lap, but it was worth it.”

Palisades set the tone in the first event, when Cutiodic teamed with juniors Alex, Greg and Jon Havton to set a new City record  in the 200 medley relay with a time of 1:36.31.

“I’ve been swimming with them since I was like 9,” Cutidioc said. “We’ve been [Bruins Swim Club] teammates and seeing Jon  going hard in the 100 back made me pick up my Dolphin kicks.”

The Havton brothers savored their first City title with the Dolphins after transferring back to the area from Irvine.

“What I love best about Pali is our team spirit,” Alex said. “Everyone’s so positive about each other’s races, not just their own.”

“The big highlight for me was  being next to Kian [in the 100 fly] and us going 1-2,” Greg said. “We push each other to be better.”

“We’ve known Michael since we were young kids, so winning the 200 [medley] with him is very special,” added John, eager to get to the post-meet party at Senator’s house in the Alphabet Streets.

While sheer speed and power propelled the boys’ record-setting spree, depth won the day for the Pali High girls, who claimed their 10th City title in 11 years.

Winning the last relay along with three individual events, the girls still accumulated 459 points to easily outdistance runner-up San Pedro (245) and third-place Venice (235).

Sophomore Dora Seggelke took first place in the 200 freestyle  in 1:54.77, shaving nearly two full seconds off her prelims time, then she won the 500 freestyle by almost 17 seconds in 5:01.61.

Junior Leah Timmerman won the 100 breaststroke in 1:06.41 and the Dolphins’ 400 freestyle relay of Timmerman, Seggelke, Rose Walker and Lilly Carthan took first place by over 11 seconds in 3:40.74 – 5.77 seconds off last year’s record time.

“I was trying to push myself as hard as I could,” Seggelke said. “We all bond together and spend time with each other away from the pool. Every year gets better and better. I’m very satisfied.”

Coach Maggie Nance is proud of the dynasty she has built and credits her assistants Fishler (sprints), Alex Hubbard (distance) and Tom Davidson (diving) for the program’s success.

“So much of it can be attributed to stability in coaching,” Nance said. “We’re definitely in a golden age. I’m not sure how long it’s going to last but every year we get kids from our feeder schools and the talent keeps coming. This is the first group to experience double championships (boys and girls all four years), so it’s special.”

Palisades will send five relay teams and 10 individuals to the CIF state championships this weekend in Clovis.

“Winning City is glorious,” Nance said. “However, I’m grateful for states because now we always have a higher level to go to.”