SANTA CRUZ >> The swimmer without a home pool, Scotts Valley High senior Brent Kong, made the biggest splash at the Santa Cruz Coast Athletic League Swimming Championships on Saturday at Harbor High.

Kong, who competes for Quicksilver Swimming outside of high school, took first in the 200-yard freestyle race in a league record time of 1 minute, 36.89 seconds. He shattered the previous mark of 1:40.75, set by Soquel’s Mason Carlton in 2019.

The next fasted competitor, Soquel junior Stryder Stelck, touched the wall in 1:53.93.

Kong also took first in the 500 free (4:49.85) in convincing fashion. He was the only swimmer to break 5 minutes. Soquel’s Mateo Paiva took second in 5:02.16.

Aptos produced just one event winner — junior Elijah Souza in the 50 freestyle (21.91) — but the Mariners’ depth carried them to the team title. They finished with 284 points.

“I was impressed and thrilled with how fast all our boys and girls swam,” Mariners coach Jim Triplett said. “So many best times and exciting races.”

Soquel (269) took second and Santa Cruz (247) was third. Harbor (151), Scotts Valley (139), and San Lorenzo Valley (43) rounded out the standings.

Souza edged Harbor senior Elias Keen Server (22.04) to the wall in the 50 free.The Knights took first in five events.

Soquel senior Oliver Santana, who is committed to NCAA Division III New York University, took first in both the 100 butterfly (50.31) and 100 breaststroke (58.52). He crushed the competition in the fly. Soquel’s Paiva took second in 55.55.

Only two athletes finished the 100 breaststroke in under a minute. Santana and Santa Cruz freshman Martin Cruz, who took second in 59.46.

Soquel senior Cassius Wolf took first in the 100 free (48.64) in the narrowest margin of victory. Aptos’ Souza took second in 48.65.

Santana and Wolf were also part of a pair of relay victories. They teamed with Stelck and Jax Nolan for the win in the 200 free relay (1:30.68), and were joined by Stelck and Gabriel Suarez-Abraham for the win in the 400 free relay (3:20.91).

Santa Cruz’s Cruz lived up to his surname and took first in the 200 individual medley (2:00.01). Cardinals freshman Jack Yoshimura took second in 2:05.29.

Cruz also teamed with Yoshimura, Tate Wilson, and Pa’Kalani Saxton-Vaca for the win in the 200 medley relay (1:42.10).

Keen Server took first in the 100 backstroke (55.84). Only two swimmers finished in under 1 minute. Yoshimura took second (56.00).

The Central Coast Section preliminaries for boys will be held at Independence High in San Jose on Thursday at 3:30 p.m. The CCS Championships take place at Independence on Saturday at 1:30 p.m.

Girls

Aptos junior Adelaide Friedley and sophomore teammate Natalie Allen took part of four victories, including two individual wins.

Friedley took first in the 50 free (25.03) and 100 breaststroke (1:06.15), and Allen took first in the 100 butterfly (1:02.25) and 200 free (2:00.75).

Friedley and Allen were also part of a pair of relay victories. They teamed with Mary Suarez-Abraham and Rose Lockwood for the win in the 200 medley relay (1:57.40). That same quartet also took first in 400 free relay (3:48.15).

Friedley edged Soquel junior Natasha Ackerstein (25.15) to the wall in the 50 free, but enjoyed a more sizable win in the 100 breast, where Soquel sophomore Izzie Bridi-Milligan (1:13.60) took second.

Allen earned a comfortable win in the 200 free. Soquel sophomore Liz Penny took second in 2:04.50.

As good as Friedley and Allen were, the Mariners were unable to match Soquel’s depth. The Knights, who produced two event wins, won the team title with 364 points.

Aptos (290) finished in second, and Harbor (185) took third. Santa Cruz (165), San Lorenzo Valley (85), and Scotts Valley (25) rounded out the standings.

Soquel’s Ackerstein took first in the 100 free (56.07) and Penny (56.68) took second.

Ackerstein also teamed with Marria Talavera, Keira “Kiki” Burke, and Penny for the win in the 200 free relay (1:48.90).

Harbor’s Zia Jaggar took first in the 100 backstroke (1:08.51) and 500 free (5:56.69). Jaggar held off off Soquel’s Makena Hansen (1:11.03) in the 100 back and Soquel freshman Grace Graessle (6:00.42) and Hansen (6:00.80) in the 500 free.

Santa Cruz sophomore Tessa Jefferies took first in the 200 individual medley (2:29.13). Cardinals freshman Annika Seasholes took second in 2:33.17.

Graessle took second in the 100 fly (1:05.87).

Soquel’s 400 free relay team took second (3:48.43), less than half a second behind Aptos. The same applied for the Knights in the 200 medley relay (1:57.75).

The Central Coast Section preliminaries for girls will be held at Independence High in San Jose on Friday at 3:30 p.m. The CCS Championships take place at Independence on Saturday at 1:30 p.m.