Rex Maurer Posts 1:36 200 Free, 4:20 500 Free at CIF Division 1 Prelims

2022 CIF-SS Division 1

• Prelims: Monday, May 2, 2022
• Finals: Friday, May 6, 2022
• Margeurite Aquatic Center, Mission Viejo, CA
• SCY (25 yards)
• Results
• Results also on MeetMobile, search “2022 CIF-SS Division 1”

The CIF championship meets are underway throughout California, featuring staggered sessions for each of the 4 divisions over the course of the week. This post will be centered on the Division I prelims session, which took place on Monday in El Cajon. Finals for DI will take place tomorrow, Friday the 6th.

Among the notable swims in the prelims session was St. Margarita sophomore Ramon Jiang, who led his team’s 200 medley relay off in a speedy 22.75. The swim marks a huge personal best for Jiang, whose previous top time was a 23.40, which he swam this past December at the 2021 Speedo Winter Junior Championships West. Just a sophomore, Jiang posted the 2nd fastest backstroke split in the field, behind only Loyola junior Max Cahill‘s 22.58. Additionally, St. Margarita’s medley relay is very young, featuring no seniors. Jiang was followed by junior Keller Morgan, who split 25.58 on breast, then sophomore Daniel Verdolaga with a 22.35, and another sophomore, Hunter Cehelnik, who anchored in 20.69. St. Margarita led prelims in the event, clocking a final time of 1:31.37.

An exciting race is developing between Corona del Mar junior Margaret Schalow and St. Margarita senior Justina Kozan in the girls 200 free. Schalow led prelims, swimming a 1:47.38, with Kozan right behind in 1:47.60. The pair were the only girls in the field under 1:50 in prelims. Kozan has a bit of an edge in the final, as her personal best stands at 1:44.40, however, she just got back from racing at the U.S. International Team Trials this past week, so it’s possible Kozan isn’t in peak performance condition right now.

Incredibly, the same duo went has ended up in a head-to-head showdown in the girls 100 fly as well. Just like the 200 free, Schalow led prelims on Monday, swimming a 53.88 to Kozan’s 54.30. Schalow created her lead on the first 50 of the race, splitting 25.34, while Kozan was 25.85.

Loyola junior Rex Maurer was dominant in the boys 200 free, clocking a 1:36.41. The time comes in a bit off Maurer’s personal best of 1:34.59, which he set this past December. Maurer was even more dominant in the boys 500 free, swimming a 4:20.78 to touch as the only swimmer in the field under 4:30. Like his 200, Maurer’s time was off his personal best, which stands at 4:15.40.

St. Margarita freshman Teagan O’Dell blew away the field in the girls 200 IM, putting together a very strong prelims performance of 1:57.58. As just a freshman, Just a freshman, O’Dell stands a chance of taking down the CIF Division 1 Record of 1:56.07, which was set in 2015 by Kirsten Vose. O’Dell has a personal best of 1:56.11.

O’Dell also led prelims of the girls 100 back handily, clocking a 52.31. The swim marks a new personal best for O’Dell by 0.17 seconds.