The Northwood Timberwolves trio that included Amanda Hsieh, Hunter Hitchens, and Julia Gonik took down five individual Northwood High School records at the 2016 CIF SS Division I Championships. Photos used via CoolPoolPix.
Venue Location: Riverside Aquatics Complex at Riverside City College
Date: Finals - Saturday, May 14, 2016
Division I Swimming:Results Team Scores
With the 2016 CIF Southern Section Division I Championships having concluded in thrilling fashion with thirty-eight high schools competing the Northwood Timberwolves boys team earned their 4th-highest finish in Division I program history.
When all was said and done this weekend, the Northwood Timberwolves took down (5) five school records. The trio that includes Amanda Hsieh, Hunter Hitchens, and Julie Gonik displayed some of Northwood's hot sprint talent, with five individual school records broken. Here's a quick rundown of the record-breakers:
Freshman Amanda Hsieh, fresh off breaking the Northwood High School 200 IM record at the 44th Foothill Swim Games shattered the mark again by .98 hundreds during finals with 2:04.74. Hsieh had another big swim in the 100 Free, going 51.39 during a swim-off breaking yet another school record that stood since 2004 by Anju Simura in 51.60.
Sophomore Hunter Hitchens kicked off his double record breaking finals in an impressive fashion, as he became the first Northwood male swimmer to break through the 46-second barrier in the 100 Free (45.83). For a reference on just how staggering that time is for a high school sophomore swimmer it places Hitchens 25th in Orange County's all time behind Olympian Jason Lezak's 45.60 in 1994 while attending Irvine High School. Both swims bettered the 12-year-old Northwood record, which previously stood at 46.35 from Adam Rollins. Hitchens also put up a 200 Free time of 1:39.69 in finals re-breaking his Northwood school record established earlier this season.
Sophomore Julia Gonik got in on the record-breaking action as she crushed her own 100 Breast Northwood record in prelims (1:04.82), which was a second lower than her previous mark of 1:05.82 from the 44th Foothill Swim Games.
This now makes (8) eight overall Northwood High School records broken during the 2016 season.
"We couldn't be more pleased at where we are right now," Northwood Head Coach Alex Nieto said. "We anticipate having another outstanding season next year, and with all the fast swims today at CIF and the 5 records set, we're well on our way."
Finals Individuals - Top 18
200 Free
Hunter Hitchens qualified 4th in the 200 free being seeded 1:39.82, but in finals clocked a personal-best of 1:39.69, which moved him to 5th (NHS Record, All-American Consideration, CIF-State).
Mack Nesbit swam a season personal best time in prelims 1:41.48 seeding him 11th in finals, then touched in at 1:43.04 for 17th.
200 IM
Amanda Hsieh swam the 200 IM entered into finals with a 12th place qualifier time of 2:06.99, then posted a 2:04.74 for 11th place in finals (NHS Record).
Julie Gonik broke through her season best barrier in prelims delivering a 2:07.18 qualifier time seeding her 13th in finals, then finished the night with a 2:07.84 for 15th.
Gabe Munoz qualified in finals with a prelims time of 1:53.33 seeded 8th, but moved up in the final standings to 4th with a 1:51.44 (All-American Consideration, CIF-State).
100 Fly
Gabe Munoz placed 8th in prelims with a time of 50.32, and registered a 50.45 in finals repeating 8th place.
Hwa Min Sim shaved .63 hundredths off his seeded best time delivering a season personal best time in prelims (51.03) for 10th, then moved to 11th in finals going 51.18.
100 Free
Amanda Hsieh earned a spot in Saturday's finals by clocking a prelims time of 52.15, which tied for ninth producing a swim-off situation giving her a season personal best of 51.39. She finished 12th in finals with a 52.12 (NHS Record, All-American Consideration, CIF-State).
Hunter Hitchens had a solid prelims swim blasting a 45.86 to earn a berth into the championship final seeded 7th, and cutting over a .03 hundredths to finish at 45.83 for 8th in finals (NHS Record, All-American Consideration, CIF-State).
500 Free
Mack Nesbit continues to impress, and he's a real factor in the 500 free finishing 11th in prelims at 4:37.07. He came back in finals to cut major time nearing his personal best, and finishing 12th with 4:34.76 (CIF-State).
100 Back
Shawn Lou put up a prelims time of 52.12 placing 15th to garner an appearance in the consolation final; Lou went 53.37 for 18th overall.
100 Breast
Julia Gonik joined the Northwood record breaking hunt, and did most of her damage on breaststroke going 1:04.82 in prelims for 6th. Gonik remained 6th in the A final with 1:04.94.
Henry Wu swam 58.99 in prelims seeding 15th to seal a spot in the top 18 for finals. Wu closed out the individuals with posting a 58.68 for 15th in the finals standings.
Finals Relays - Top 18
Varsity Girls 200 Medley - 15th place 1:50.80 Nancy Zhu (29.24), Julia Gonik (30.28), Josephine Manuel (27.02), Amanda Hsieh (24.26) Varsity Boys 200 Medley - 11th place 1:35.56 Nick Thorson (24.68), Henry Wu (27.10), Gabe Munoz (22.48), Cameron Hsieh (21.30) Varsity Boys 200 Varsity Boys Free - 7th place 1:26.30 Hwa Min Sim (22.25), Nick Thorson (21.90), Cameron Hsieh (21.47), Hunter Hitchens (20.68) (All-American Consideration)
Varsity Girls 400 Free - 18th place 3:38.19 Julia Gonik (56.28), Olivia Chen (54.34), Nancy Zhu (55.54), Amanda Hsieh (52.03)
Varsity Boys 400 Free - 5th place 3:06.02 Mack Nesbit (47.48), Gabe Munoz (46.33), Cameron Hsieh (46.90), Hunter Hitchens (45.31) (All-American Automatic)
Northwood Timberwolves CIF Team
- Katya Burjakowsky, Senior - 500 Free (5:13.14)
- Kevin Chen, Junior - 100 Breast (1:01.67)
- Olivia Chen, Freshman - 200 Free Relay (1:42.21), 400 Free Relay (3:36.22)
- Julia Gonik, Sophomore - 200 Medley Relay (1:50.80), 200 IM (2:07.18), 100 Breast (1:04.82), 400 Free Relay (3:36.22)
- Hunter Hitchens, Sophomore - 200 Free (1:39.69), 100 Free (45.83), 200 Free Relay (1:26.30), 400 Free Relay (3:06.02)
- Lauren Hitchens, Freshman - 100 Back (1:02.40)
- Amanda Hsieh, Freshman - 200 Medley Relay (1:50.80), 200 IM (2:04.74), 100 Free (51.39-swim off), 400 Free Relay (3:36.22)
- Cameron Hsieh, Senior - 200 Medley Relay (1:35.56), 100 Free (46.75), 200 Free Relay (1:26.30), 400 Free Relay (3:06.02),
- Shawn Lou, Sophomore - 500 Free (4:44.06), 100 Back (52.12)
- Josephine Manuel, Sophomore - 200 Medley Relay (1:50.80), 200 Free Relay (1:42.21)
- Katherine Monjay, Junior - 200 Free Relay (1:42.21)
- Jenna Morley, Sophomore - 100 Breast (1:09.69)
- Gabe Munoz, Sophomore - 200 Medley Relay (1:35.56), 200 IM (1:51.11), 100 Fly (50.32), 400 Free Relay (3:06.02)
- Mack Nesbit, Junior - 200 Free (1:41.48), 500 Free (4:34.76), 400 Free Relay (3:06.02)
- Hayley Pham, Sophomore - 200 Free Relay (1:42.21)
- Hwa Min Sim, Sophomore - 50 Free (21.90), 100 Fly (51.03), 200 Free Relay (1:26.30), 400 Free Relay (3:06.84)
- Nick Thorson, Senior - 200 Medley Relay (1:35.56), 200 Free Relay (1:26.30), 100 Back (53.96)
- Henry Wu, Sophomore - 200 Medley Relay (1:35.56), 200 IM (1:59.41), 100 Breast (58.68)
- Nancy Zhu, Sophomore - 200 Medley Relay (1:50.80), 200 IM (2:12.94), 100 Back (1:01.37), 400 Free Relay (3:36.22)