Two seconds means everything to Live Oak's Steven Rick.
For the junior breaststroker, that short span of time marked the difference between a good season and a "so-so" season. Fittingly, it could also mean the difference between consolations and finals in the CIF-Central Coast Section prelims. Rick will aim for the latter heat today when he and nine of his teammates plunge into Stanford's Avery Aquatic Center, hoping to advance to Saturday's championship meet. The top 16 finishers in each event move on, with the top eight qualifying for finals and the rest making consols.
In a sense, Rick is trying to backtrack his progress. As a freshman, he clocked a season best one minute, 1.8 seconds in the preliminary 100-yard breaststroke at CIF-CCS only to pack two seconds on as a sophomore in 2007, falling short of a consols return.
"It's kind of strange to do that - that usually doesn't happen," he said after Tuesday's practice. "I went about 1:03 last year and didn't do so well. Those two seconds make a big difference."
Rick has his sight set on finals and, with a new personal record, could make the cut, said Live Oak coach Mack Haines.
"I'm hoping Steven Rick can break the one-minute mark in the breaststroke," Haines said. "He's been just over one minute his entire career, so it'd be an incredible feat. He's come close, though, it's definitely possible."
Rick won the 100 breaststroke (1:01.74) and 200-yard individual medley (2:00.58) in the Blossom Valley Athletic League Championships and will swim both events Saturday. Rick is part of a gritty four-man swimming contingent alongside Alex Sennert, Mike Wu and Sam Cretcher, who will handle the 400-yard freestyle and 200-yard medley relays on top of individual events. They're accompanied by 1-meter divers Jason Vantrood and Brandon Seminatore - who placed first and second in BVALs, respectively.
Sennert and Cretcher will swim the 100-yard backstroke with Cretcher taking the 200-yard freestyle as well.
Wu joins Cretcher in the 200 freestyle and also will stroke the 500-yard freestyle. Wu placed second in both events at BVALs.
"I'm looking for Mike Wu to have a big meet," Haines said. "BVALs were sort of a disappointment for him.
"Cretcher should do well, too. I'm hoping to see a PR from him."
Live Oak coach Lynn Gautschi's girls team returns its lone CIF-CCS veteran in sophomore Katie Rick, who heads a five-person contingent with Sarah D'Angelo, Rachel Cretcher, Alisa Pinarbasi and Jessica Poon.
Rick is slated for four events, including her specialty - the 200 individual medley. Like her brother, Steven Rick, Katie placed first in the event at BVALs, touching in 2:14.44. She will also swim the 100 breaststroke, plus the 200 medley and freestyle relays.
"Katie did some of her best times when she wasn't even tapered," Gautschi said. "She's rested and should be even faster. I'd look to see her go under 1:10 in the breaststroke and 2:10 in the IM. I think she's capable of doing that."
Cretcher and D'Angelo are swimming multiple events with Cretcher taking the 200 and 500 freestyles, and D'Angelo the 50-yard freestyle, 100 backstroke and both relays.
Cretcher placed third (5:24.16) in the 500 and fourth (2:04.36) in the 200 at BVALs. Pinarbasi, meanwhile, finished third in the 100-yard butterfly (1:03.09), one of her three events Saturday. Pinarbasi also will swim both relays, joining Rick, D'Angelo and Poon.
"Alisa is rested and ready to sprint for us," Gautschi added.
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Sobrato coach Paul Harris was completing the appeal notice when he answered the phone for post-BVALs questions last Tuesday.
Harris had reason to act swiftly. He felt slighted when, three days earlier, his girls 400-yard freestyle 'B' relay was disqualified for questionable reasons, costing the Lady Bulldogs first place in the Santa Teresa Division Finals meet at Independence High School.
Harris was rewarded for his persistence. The league overturned the DQ this week, honoring the 'B' relay's ninth-place finish and, in turn, Sobrato's meet championship.
"That was the best news I've heard since I came here," said Harris, who's wrapping up his first season at Sobrato. "The girls earned that first-place finish. ... I did what I could to help."
If Harris could negotiate anything more, it'd be the CIF-CCS rule that prohibits swimmers from participating in more than two individual events.
The inspiration: Taylor Windgassen.
The junior standout met sectional qualifying standards in three events this year - and could have done plenty more, Harris said.
"CCS only lets you do two events on top of two relays," he added. "If 'Tattie' swam all the events she could, she'd be doing five on her own at least."
Windgassen is settling for her two best, the 100 backstroke and 100 butterfly - both of which she won at Independence while shaking off a sore throat and migraine. She makes up half of Sobrato's CIF-CCS contingent, joining senior Katelyn Smith - the reigning division champion in the 500 freestyle.
"It's been a special year for those two," Harris said. "I'm impressed with how they've done, especially at league finals.
"Between the two of them, they carried this team. Katelyn helped me a lot - me being a first-year coach - and 'Tattie' helped direct the younger swimmers. They know how good she is and they respect her."
Windgassen and Smith have grown accustomed to Avery Aquatic Center. Together, they've swam in three of the past four sectional prelims.
"It's feels good going back," said Smith, who's makng her fourth appearance. "It's my senior year, and I just want to enjoy it; just have fun."
Windgassen wants the same but would also like to consol. She finished in the mid-40s in her two events last year season.
"It's very competitive," Windgassen said. "You can, really, just do your best."
Scott Adams Scott Adams covers Morgan Hill sports for South Valley Newspapers. Send him an email or call him at 779-4106.
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Legend of the fall
