Southern Section Swimming : Sonora’s Ward Has 2 Record Performances

If Darren Ward is looking for his best competition, all he has to do is look in the mirror.

On Saturday at the Southern Section 3-A swimming championships at Long Beach’s Belmont Plaza Pool, Ward, a Sonora senior, broke the Southern Section and national high school records in the 200-yard individual medley and the Southern Section record in the 100-yard freestyle. He set both section records his junior year.

Ward swam the 100-yard freestyle in 45.31, breaking his 1986 record of 45.47. He clocked 1:48.83 in the 200-yard individual medley, breaking not only his own mark, but also the national high school record of 1:48.974, set by Mark Rhodenbaugh of Cincinnati Oak Hills, Ohio, in 1982. Ward will attend UCLA next year on a swimming scholarship.

El Dorado won the boys’ 3-A championship with 168.5 points. San Marino was runner-up with 142 points, and Sonora was third with 96.

Wilson Hacienda Heights won the girls’ 3-A team championship, racking up 161 points. Los Alamitos was second with 111 and Long Beach Wilson was third with 107.