Posted: Apr 26, 2023

Mounties Are Kings Of The Water, Dominate To Win SCC Men's Swim/Dive Title

For the seventh time in the last eight complete seasons, Mt. San Antonio College soared higher than the rest in winning a convincing team title at the 2023 South Coast Conference Swimming and Diving Championships held April 20-22 at East Los Angeles College.

The Mounties, who took second last year to Long Beach City College, left no doubt this year by totaling 908 points, dominating in defeating the next closest competitor by 353 points. LBCC placed second with 555, followed by Cerritos in third (467) and El Camino in fourth (457).

Mt. SAC won an unheard of 17 of the 20 events with the only non-Mountie wins coming from Long Beach in the 200 medley relay, and Vikings' event wins by Sullivan Moore in the 100-yard butterfly (50.51) and Tony Montes barely edging Mt. SAC's Matthew Neoh in the 100 backstroke (51.46 to 51.68).

The Mt. San Antonio roll call begins with SCC Swimmer of the Year Markus Stegbuchner, who used a finger tip at the finish to edge teammate Jason Matsuda in winning the 200 individual medley by .04 of a second in 1:57.80. Stegbuchner also won the 100 (56.87) and 200 breaststroke (2:03.38) titles.

SCC Diver of the Year went to the Mounties' Sebastian Burgos, who dove to the 3-meter board (170.70 points) and 1-meter board (158.10) titles. Coach of the Year was long-time aquatics director Marc Ruh, Assistant COTY to Lani Ruh, and Diving COTY to another Mt. SAC coach in Rob McClelan.

Multiple event wins also were turned in by Samuel Slezak in the 500 and (4:49.13) 1,650 freestyle (16:33.12), Eric Yeh in the 50 (20.77) and 100 freestyle (45.65), Matsuda in the 400 IM (4:14.21) and 200 butterfly (1:55.92), and Neoh in the 200 freestyle (1:44.46) and 200 backstroke (1:53.22).

"It was a very solid meet all the way around," Marc Ruh said. "It was a very long three-day grind and the kids really rose to the occasion. They swam great and really came together as a team for a big win."

FINAL STANDINGS: 1. Mt. San Antonio 908, 2. Long Beach 555, 3. Cerritos 467, 4. El Camino 457, 5. Pasadena 284, 6. Chaffey 211, 7. Rio Hondo 156.

STATE MEET UPDATE

The Mounties have perhaps their best team going into any CCCAA Championships, the 2023 state meet taking place May 4-6 at ELAC's Swim Stadium.

Stegbuchner has the state's top time in the 200 breaststroke and second in the 100 breaststroke. Yeh has the second-best marks in the 100 freestyle and 100 butterfly. Slezak is fifth in the 1,650 free and eighth in the 500 free while Neoh seventh in the 200 backstroke and eighth in the 100 backstroke. Kevin Poma was seventh-ranked in the 1,650 free.

The relays are strong as well at #2 in the 400 medley relay, #3 in the 200 free relay, #5 in the 400 free relay and #7 in the 800 medley relay.

LBCC's Moore is fourth-rated in the 100 butterfly, Montes sixth in the 100 backstroke, and the Vikings' are seventh rated in the 200 medley relay and eighth in the 400 free relay.

Release by Robert Lewis, SCC SID