Loss to Rio Mesa doesn't faze ACHS girls' swim team
Spartan victory snaps long PVL winning streak for Camarillo
By Thomas Gase tgase@theacorn.com

IRIS SMOOT/Acorn Newspapers FIGHT TO THE FINISH LINE- Camarillo senior co-captain Kayla Fukutomi briefly comes up for air during practice late last week. Fukutomi competes in a variety of events for the Scorpions, including the 400 freestyle and 200 medley relay teams.

Two weeks ago the girls' swim team at Camarillo High had a 39-game league winning streak snapped when it lost to Rio Mesa. Now the Scorpions will try to start a new streak as they battle to win the Pacific View League title.

The Scorpions are currently 21 in league play, which includes a win against Channel Islands this week that saw ACHS win in every single event.

"I just told my kids, 'Hey, let's just start a new streak,'" Camarillo head coach Tawney Safran said. "I think the loss (to Rio Mesa) is just a reason for us to try harder."

Leading the way for Camarillo are senior captains Kendal Avera and Kayla Fukutomi. Last Thursday against Channel Islands, Avera won the 200 IM and the 100 butterfly. Avera's time in the butterfly event was 1 minute, 6 seconds, good enough to be considered for CIF.

Fukutomi was a part of the winning relay teams for the 400 freestyle and the 200 medley relay.

Other swimmers that have helped contribute to the Scorpions' success this year are senior Heather Webster, junior Michelle Nunn and sophomore Sarah Conners. Webster, Nunn and Conners were CIF relay swimmers in 2006 and are looking to do more damage to Pacific View League teams this year.

Nunn won the 200 freestyle against Channel Islands with a time of two minutes, seven seconds, also a time good enough to be considered for CIF.

Webster did her part by winning the 50 freestyle and the 100 backstroke. Conners placed second to Webster in the 50 freestyle, losing by just six-tenths of a second. Junior Michelle Elrich contributed vs. Channel Islands as well, winning in the 500 freestyle.

A newcomer making an immediate impact to the team is Fukutomi's younger sister Mari. The freshman won in the 100 freestyle against CIHS.

Kayla Fukutomi explained that one of the reasons why she likes this year's team is because of the attitude, especially after the loss to Rio Mesa.

"I kept checking the score near the end of the meet against Rio Mesa, and I kept thinking we were going to pull it out since I had never lost before with Camarillo," Fukutomi said.

"I don't think anyone was expecting us to lose, so it was tough when we finally did. However, our whole team has bonded very well this year, especially since that loss," she said. "Everyone has been working hard in practice, and we have all gotten to know each other very well with so much time spent on the bus."

Camarillo has spent a lot of time on the bus because the school does not have a home pool. The Scorpions practice at Oxnard High, while their home meets are at Rio Mesa.

"It's tough on us because we don't get to have twoaday practices like some of the other teams that have a home pool," Avera said. "Our practices in general are pretty limited just because we have to drive to get there."

Safran is hoping that with all the recent success of the swim team, the school will get a home pool soon, although she has her doubts.

"Right now we are waiting for unification, but I don't know for sure when that is going to happen," Safran said. "There has been no definite time given to us as to when we are going to get a new pool.

"I'm not sure why it's taking so long for us to get (a pool) since the swimmers have been asking for one since before I became coach here four years ago. Maybe everyone just assumes that we don't need one and we will still keeping winning league championships. However, it would be really nice to have a home pool."

Not having a pool has been especially difficult for Kayla Fukutomi, whose club swim pool in Pleasant Valley was shut down recently due to renovations.

The Fukutomi sisters and Nunn are the team's only club swimmers, which makes Safran even prouder of the team's success, knowing that it came from swimmers that don't necessarily have the opportunity to swim all year long.

"I have been very impressed with the non-club swimmers," Safran said. "As a former club swimmer myself, I know how hard these practices can be. When you don't have previous swim experience and are exceeding at the high school level, that says a lot about how hard you are working.

"I love coaching this group of kids. It's hard what they do, traveling to Oxnard High every day to practice. The kids that come here to swim are very, very dedicated and committed. Hopefully that dedication can pay off for us this year."

Camarillo's next swim meet is at Oxnard High on April 20.