Golden West head coach Mark Schubert enjoyed another celebratory leap into the pool with the team and assistant coaches following the win.
The Golden West College Men’s Swim Team won its 3rd straight title last weekend at the 2015 CCCAA Swimming and Diving Championship Meet with a 70 point lead over second place. The Rustlers capped their three-peat as State Champions (2013, 2014 and 2015) by winning the meet’s final race. This is the Rustler’s 15th Team Crown in Men’s Swimming since 1995.
MEN STANDINGS FINAL: 1. Golden West 555.5, 2. Diablo Valley 479, 3. Sierra 361.5, 4. American River 266, 5. Riverside CC 265, 6. Ventura 256, 7. Orange Coast 205, 8. San Diego Mesa 197, 9. Mt. San Antonio 184, 10. Santa Rosa 165
HIGHLIGHTS:
#1 Men’s 200 Butterfly: Gabriel Hernandez, Golden West, 1:48.69
Hernandez is a double champion after recording the three fastest splits over the first 150 yards. The Rustler finished ahead of Diablo Valley’s Monty Randall (1:49.94) and Ventura’s Christopher Sands (1:50.94). Hernandez was a Swimmer of the Meet (high points) for the second consecutive year.
#1 Men’s 400 Freestyle Relay: Golden West, 3:02.12
(Bradley Toland, Dalton Kenefick, Jeremy Grden, Fletcher Norseen)
Fittingly, the Rustlers capped their third state title in a row by winning the meet’s final race. GWC beat out Diablo Valley (second, 3:03.69), Sierra (third, 3:04.68) and Ventura (fourth, 3:05.29). Grden’s third leg split of 45.53 was followed by Norseen’s 45.32 anchor. Ventura anchor Mitchell Ongstad swam the race’s top 100 at 43.83.
#1 Men’s 400 Individual Medley: Gabriel Hernandez, Golden West, 3:54.49
Hernandez can’t match his state meet record win of a year ago here (3:53.20) but does become a repeat winner in a dominating race. The sophomore won by nearly 13 seconds over second place finisher Phillip Wright (Mt. San Antonio, 4:07.04). Dominic Baldwin (Diablo Valley) was third at 4:08.31.
#1 Men’s 100 Butterfly: Bradley Toland, Golden West, 48.59
Toland swam out to a 22.29 opening 50, but had to stretch the hand at the wall to edge Diablo Valley’s oncoming Monty Randall, who took second just .02 (48.61) behind the Rustler. Sierra’s Andrew Murch was third in 48.98.
#1 Men’s 100 Breaststroke: Jeremy Grden, Golden West, 57.34
The difference between first and fifth in this race was just .40 of a second as Grden barely held off Jacob Altree (Mt. San Antonio, second, 57.36), Brandon Saliba (Santa Monica, third, 57.55), Adrian Deloffre (Riverside, fourth, 57.65) and Hogan Inscore (El Camino, fifth, 57.74). Grden had the fastest opening 50 at 26.26 but actually performed the sixth best final 50 and still cashed in for the title.
#1 Men’s 800 Freestyle Relay: Golden West, 6:46.86
(Gabriel Hernandez, Mark Olsen, Jeremy Grden, Dalton Kenefick)
Golden West built on its team standings lead with its fourth event win of the evening, holding off Diablo Valley (6:47.80, second), Riverside (6.48.53, third) and Sierra (6:48.72) in the long free relay. Kenefick showed his anchor strength with a 1:40.51 final split although Sierra swimmer Lucas Hastie was flying at 1:39.93.
#1 Men’s 200 Freestyle Relay: Golden West, 1:22.09
(Fletcher Norseen, Dalton Kenefick, Nathan Torres, Bradley Toland)
A disqualification of Diablo Valley voided its original winning time of 1:22.02 as Golden West grabbed the title here. The Rustlers had a strong opening from Norseen at 20.28 and each of the remaining swimmers posted under-21 splits. Sierra placed second at 1:22.46 and Ventura was third in 1:23.60.
Golden West head coach Mark Schubert enjoyed another celebratory leap into the pool with the team and assistant coaches. “It never gets old,” he said. “It really helps to have a veteran team. We only have the swimmers for two years but the sophomores we had provided great leadership for our freshmen in Gabriel Hernandez, Fletcher Norseen and Jeremy Grden. Diablo Valley gave us some great competition and you have to give them credit for pushing us.”
Mark Schubert heads up the Golden West College Men’s and Women’s Swimming and Diving Program. Schubert, an eight-time Olympic coach is one of the United States’ most recognizable and successful coaches of all-time. Schubert was inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame on January 10, 1997 as “Honor Coach.” He also was named Coach of the Year by five organizations: American Swimming Coaches Association, United States Olympic Committee, United States Swimming, NCAA and Pac-10.
During Schubert’s coaching tenure, he worked with notable swimmers: Shirley Babashoff, Sippy Woodhead, Jill Sterkel, Janet Evans, Lenny Krayzelburg, and most recently swimmers: Lindsay Benko, Erik Vendt, Larsen Jensen, Ous Mellouli, Dara Torres and Kaitlin Sandeno.
Since the College opened in 1966, Golden West College Aquatics (Men’s & Women’s Swimming/Diving and Men’s and Women’s Water Polo) have captured more championship titles than any other community college in the nation.
