Saddleback red hot heading into OEC finals

The Saddleback men's swim team has had a sensational start to the 2021 season and now heads into the Orange Empire Conference Finals with a couple of wins under their belt.  The swim team has won both meets against Orange Empire Conference foes as the OEC Finals start on Thursday.

The OEC has long been the top conference in the state, winning 22 state titles in men's swimming in the past 30 years.  Although the 2021 season has no post-season, a solid performance this coming week would set the stage for a great 2022 when it is believed that community college sports could be back to some sort of normalcy.

Saddleback won the opening meet of the season when they scored 143 points in beating perennial power Golden West by 14 points.  In meet two, Saddleback scored a narrow two-point win over both Orange Coast and Cypress, with Golden West 15 points back.

The OEC Finals will take place at Orange Coast College starting Thursday and concluding on Friday evening.  Saddleback has a number of swimmers expected to challenge in individual events. 

Roland Mantecon has the second best time in the OEC so far in the 200 Freestyle (1:48.32) while Riley Herbert has recorded the fourth fastest time in the event so far (1:54.61).  In addition, Mantecon has the fifth fastest time in the 500 Freestyle (5:12.42).  Ivan Moilanen has the second best time of the spring in the 100 Backstroke (1:00.04).  The 100 Breaststroke has been a great event for Saddleback so far as Nathan James has the fourth best time of the spring (1:04.81) and Ramy Bishay has the fifth best time (1:04.93).  Yughe Bista has also been solid with the fifth best time of the spring in the 200 Individual Medley (2:11.67).  Saddleback's relay teams have been consistent, with the third best time in both the 200 Freestyle Relay (1:32.68) and the 400 Freestyle Relay (3:25.62) while having the fourth best time in the 200 Medley Relay (1:46.42).