Terra Linda dominates en route to MCAL title

BOYS SWIMMING

Trojans set multiple meet records, win all but one event

Terra Linda’s Nicholas Arinduque cruises to win the 100-meter butterfly on Saturday in Corte Madera. FRANKIE FROST — SPECIAL TO THE MARIN INDEPENDENT JOURNAL

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By Holly Woolard

IJ Correspondent

The Terra Linda High Trojans rode into the MCAL swimming championships on Saturday at Redwood with confidence and momentum.

After only losing one race (repeat ONE race) during their eight league dual meets, the Trojans claimed their second straight MCAL pennant by winning all but one swimming event on a blustery afternoon in Larkspur.

“We’re all a year older,” said Terra Linda senior Ben Butler. “Everybody has been working super hard, so we’re a rung up from last year. I’m excited to see what we can do at (North Coast Section).”

Before last season, Terra Linda had not won the MCAL meet since 2013. Now the Trojans are the crème de la crème of Marin swimming thanks to marquee swimmers like Butler.

The senior, who will swim for University of Arizona next year, had a record-breaking day, winning the 200-yard individual medley in 1 minute, 50.20 seconds. The previous meet record of 1:52.11 was set by Redwood’s Emillio DeSomma in 2016.

In the 100 freestyle, Butler clocked a meet record time of 44.99, leading for good after the first turn. The previous record of 45.12 was set by Branson’s Christopher Packer in 2009.

“That was kind of my goal coming in,” said Butler about etching his name in the MCAL record books. “I’m happy I achieved it.”

Capping off his final MCAL event, Butler anchored the Trojans’ 400 free relay in dramatic fashion with a come-from-behind victory and meet record of 3:08.26. Nick Butler, Cameron Hellar, and Jackson Wright also swam the relay, which erased Redwood’s 3:09.96 from 2016.

“It was amazing,” said a drenched Terra Linda coach Tim Baker. “It kind of puts into perspective Ben’s whole high school career. He’s always been one of those kids you could count on in any situation.”

The Trojans also broke the league record in the 200 medley relay with a winning time of 1:33.14 set by Ben Butler, Nicholas Arinduque, Andrew Chong, and Jack Middleton. Redwood clocked a 1:34.45 in 2022.

Terra Linda routed the field with 589 points. Archie Williams was a distant second with 292, followed by Redwood (271), San Marin (261), Tam (205), Novato (184), Marin Catholic (129), San Rafael (61) and Branson (36).

The day’s biggest collective cheers came during the 18th event of the afternoon when Archie Williams’ 200 free relay nipped Terra Linda to prevent the Trojans from sweeping the meet. The team of Nolan Anderson, Zane Schuman and Nate Greenberg kept the Peregrine Falcons close before anchor Vincent Krilanovich got a huge start off the block to surge ahead by the turn. (Krilanovich will play water polo at Stanford next season.)

Archie’s time of 1:25.19 was good for a meet record. The Trojans finished at 1:25.42, which would have been enough to break the previous meet record of 1:25.89 set by Terra Linda in 2017.

In one of the closest races, Wright took first in the 50 free with a time of 21.10. Top-seeded Greenberg was second in 21.13.

Hellar won the 200 free, pulling ahead on the final of eight laps to hold off Greenberg and Schuman. Hellar was timed at 1:43.27. Hellar won the 500 free comfortably with a time of 4:42.45.

Terra Linda’s other double winner was Arinduque, who won the 100 butterfly in 51.41 and 100 breaststroke in 56.95.

The Trojans will be seeking a top-three finish at the North Coast Section championships Thursday through Saturday at Concord Community Pool.

“I’m so happy with how everyone performed today,” said Baker. “This is by far the deepest team I’ve had as the coach at TL in the past 17 years. It may be one of the best MCAL teams in history.”