Woodside’s Chung, SHP’s J-Cheng advance to state swimming finals

The top eight qualifiers go into the “A” final, while the next eight go to the “B” final. Only “A” final swimmers can win a state title.

Chung was the sixth-fastest qualifier in the 50 free, posting a time of 23.39, bettering her seed time by one-hundredth of a second. The fastest qualifier, Gracyn Aquino of Santa Margarita, posted a time of 22.68.

Carlmont’s Katelin Kwan finished 34th in qualifying with a time of 24.24

Chung just made the “A” final cut in the 100 free, finishing in eighth with a time of 50.89. Ava DeAnda of Poly-Riverside, was the top qualifier with a time of 49.75.

Sacred Heart Prep’s Audrey J-Cheng was the only other county swimmer to qualify for an “A” final. She qualified third in the 100 breaststroke with a time of 1:01.69. Davis’ Sarah Bennetts had the fastest qualifying time with a 1:00.86. Aragon’s Delainey Brandt was 27th in qualifying, posting a time of 1:05.05, shaving five-one hundredth of a second off her seeding time of 1:05.10.

SHP’s Cole Ballard, Serra’s Kevin Raghunathan and Carlmont’s Sydney Niles all qualified for “B” finals. Ballard was 11th in the 200 freestyle with a time of 1:39.33, just missing out on the “A” final cut of 1:39.24.

Raghunathan was 11th in the 100 breast with a time of 55.97. The “A” final cut was 55.74. Aragon’s Colin Johnson finished 23rd with a time of 57.11, bettering his seed time of 57.18.

Niles, swimming in the 200 individual medley, also had an 11th-place finish, posting a time of 2:04.13, more than a second faster than her seeding time. El Camino’s Calista Lynch finished 31st in the 200 IM, with a 2:06.87.

Niles also finished 21st in the 100 back qualifying with a time of 56.72. She finished second at CCS. San Mateo’s Parker Del Balso, who won the CCS 100 back championship, had a disappointing swim at state, finishing 23rd in a time of 56.95, well off her qualifying time of 55.33.

In girls’ diving that was held Thursday, Woodside’s Sophia Wells finished 10th with a score of 480.45, bettering her qualifying score of 462.75.

Other San Mateo County qualifiers included:

Aragon’s Gabriel Anagnoson was 21st in the 200 IM with a time of 1:52.55; 27th in the 100 back with a time of 50.44 and participated in the Dons’ 200 medley relay team which finished 19th in a time of 1:34.39, just missing the “B” final cut of 1:34.32. The Aragon boys’ 400 free relay squad finished 28th in a time of 3:12.53.

Sacred Heart Prep’s Luke Kirinchich was 23rd in the 500 free with a time of 4:36.07.

Crystal’s Bennett Lacerte was 21st in the 100 back with a time of 50.44.

The Carlmont girls’ 200 free relay team finished 2oth in a time of 1:37.68.