Northwood Timberwolves Shawn Lou and Hunter Hitchens combined to close out three individual and two relay event title wins lifting the boys division to third place overall at the 45th Annual Mission Viejo Invitational.  Photo courtesy of CoolPoolPix.

Riding on the crest of a successful wave into this 2017 season the Northwood Timberwolves continued their strong momentum at the 45th Annual Mission Viejo Invitational on Saturday, March 25, 2017 at the William Woollett Jr. Aquatic Center.  An incredible field that featured 25 high schools from all over California seemingly created a NorCal vs SoCal duel meet.  Almost every finals event was a dog fight for points in front of a pretty thick crowd of fans cheering on their high school teams.

In terms of team rankings, Northwood's boys scored 415 points (3rd Place), while the girls tallied 261 points (6th Place) in 11 different events.  A disqualification struck the Northwood boys early on as their first-place-finishing 200 Medley relay team finished in 1:34.11 breaking a meet record that was disqualified.  Meet officials announced Northwood's leadoff backstroker did not surface within the 15 meter mark (16.4 yards) of the start of the race.

Despite the point deficit the Timberwolves persevered to a very successful relay campaign, winning titles in two of the remaining contested 200 Free (1:26.60) and 400 Free (3:09.23) relays.  Northwood boys also had a couple big event title wins that provided the brunt of their point advantages.  

Northwood's Shawn Lou was all business in the Boys 50 Free finals, he rocked a 21.53 coming home strong in the last 20-yards to edge out Campolindo's Samuel Ayer's (21.57) for the title win.  Foothill's (Pleasanton) Aaron Li was third overall in 21.66.

Lou and Foothill's (Pleasanton) Jonah Cooper were side-by-side for the Boys 100 Free finals, and put on a show.  Both were out like a rocket and put up very strong times.  Lou was 46.24 at the touch, while Cooper was a 46.42.  Campolindo's Samuel Ayers finished third in 47.30.

Northwood's Hunter Hitchens shot off the blocks with speed in the Boys 200 Free finals with a swift 1:41.23 that put him well ahead of the rest of the field.  Hitchens took the lead at the 100 mark turning a 49.68, and never looked back, holding consistency into the wall as he touched for the title at 1:41.23.  Torrey Pines Jordan Blitz was right behind finishing second in 1:42.66, while Campolindo's Michael Wheeler got his hand on the wall third with a 1:42.89.

Boys Top 6 Team Scores:                     Girls Top 6 Team Scores:

1. Campolindo 512                                                           1. Redlands East Valley 457
2. Redlands 420.5                                                            2. Miramonte 424
3. Northwood 215                                                             3. Campolindo 404
4. Torrey Pines 217.5                                                       4. Clovis West 398
5. Miramonte 211                                                              5. Torrey Pines 271
6. Westlake 206.5                                                             6. Northwood 261

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