Bonita boys swimming and dive team claims Division 3 section title
The Bearcats used a team effort, including key points from two divers, to win the program’s first section title. Yucaipa freshman Hunter Tamura wins 500 freestyle title.
Bonita head coach Dillon Unsoeld is pushed into the pool by some of his team members, after winning the Men’s CIF Southern Section Division 3 Swimming Championship at Mt. San Antonio College Aquatic Center in Walnut, on Friday, May 3, 2024. (Photo by Alex Gallardo, Contributing Photographer)
WALNUT — The contributions divers make to a CIF Southern Section championship team often go overlooked because that event is contested on a different day and at a separate location than the swimming finals.
Hemet’s Jaydah Godbolt takes off in the Girls 100-yard backstroke event in the CIF Southern Section Division 3 swimming championships at the Mt. San Antonio College Aquatic Center in Walnut, on Friday, May 3, 2024. (Photo by Alex Gallardo, Contributing Photographer)
Yucaipa’s Hunter Tamura reacts after winning the Men’s 500-yard freestyle event in the CIF Southern Section Division 3 swimming championships at the Mt. San Antonio College Aquatic Center in Walnut, on Friday, May 3, 2024. (Photo by Alex Gallardo, Contributing Photographer)
Yucaipa’s Hunter Tamura works to win the Men’s 500-yard freestyle event in the CIF Southern Section Division 3 swimming championships at the Mt. San Antonio College Aquatic Center in Walnut, on Friday, May 3, 2024. (Photo by Alex Gallardo, Contributing Photographer)
Bonita head coach Dillon Unsoeld is pushed into the pool by some of his team members, after winning the Men’s CIF Southern Section Division 3 Swimming Championship at Mt. San Antonio College Aquatic Center in Walnut, on Friday, May 3, 2024. (Photo by Alex Gallardo, Contributing Photographer)
Citrus Valley’s Bryce Hitter swims the butterfly in the Boys 200-yard individual medley event in the CIF Southern Section Division 3 swimming championships at the Mt. San Antonio College Aquatic Center in Walnut, on Friday, May 3, 2024. (Photo by Alex Gallardo, Contributing Photographer)
Hemet’s Jaydah Godbolt competes in the Girls 100-yard backstroke event in the CIF Southern Section Division 3 swimming championships at the Mt. San Antonio College Aquatic Center in Walnut, on Friday, May 3, 2024. (Photo by Alex Gallardo, Contributing Photographer)
Temecula Valley’s Madison Dockery competes in the breast stroke in the Girls 200-yard medley relay event in the CIF Southern Section Division 3 swimming championships at the Mt. San Antonio College Aquatic Center in Walnut, on Friday, May 3, 2024. (Photo by Alex Gallardo, Contributing Photographer)
Chaparral’s Dylan Ranshaw competes in the breaststroke in the Boys 200-yard medley event in the CIF Southern Section Division 3 swimming championships at the Mt. San Antonio College Aquatic Center in Walnut, on Friday, May 3, 2024. (Photo by Alex Gallardo, Contributing Photographer)
Liberty’s Gwen Asbury competes in the Girls 200-yard freestyle event in the CIF Southern Section Division 3 swimming championships at the Mt. San Antonio College Aquatic Center in Walnut, on Friday, May 3, 2024. (Photo by Alex Gallardo, Contributing Photographer)
Chaparral’s Ethan Chen takes off the block in the backstroke in the Boys 200-yard medley event in the CIF Southern Section Division 3 swimming championships at the Mt. San Antonio College Aquatic Center in Walnut, on Friday, May 3, 2024. (Photo by Alex Gallardo, Contributing Photographer)
Yucaipa’s Hunter Tamura competes in the Boys 200-yard freestyle event in the CIF Southern Section Division 3 swimming championships at the Mt. San Antonio College Aquatic Center in Walnut, on Friday, May 3, 2024. (Photo by Alex Gallardo, Contributing Photographer)
Temescal Canyon’s Chloe Rivers competes in the backstroke in the Girls 200-yard individual medley event in the CIF Southern Section Division 3 swimming championships at the Mt. San Antonio College Aquatic Center in Walnut, on Friday, May 3, 2024. (Photo by Alex Gallardo, Contributing Photographer)
Temecula Valley’s Maya Cravens competes in the backstroke in the Girls 200-yard individual medley event in the CIF Southern Section Division 3 swimming championships at the Mt. San Antonio College Aquatic Center in Walnut, on Friday, May 3, 2024. (Photo by Alex Gallardo, Contributing Photographer)
Chaparral’s Natalia Ferrette competes in the Girls 100-yard butterfly event in the CIF Southern Section Division 3 swimming championships at the Mt. San Antonio College Aquatic Center in Walnut, on Friday, May 3, 2024. (Photo by Alex Gallardo, Contributing Photographer)
Temescal Canyon’s Chloe Rivers, right, greets Crean Lutheran’s Ryann Priest after competing in the Girls 100-yard breaststroke event in the CIF Southern Section Division 3 swimming championships at the Mt. San Antonio College Aquatic Center in Walnut, on Friday, May 3, 2024. (Photo by Alex Gallardo, Contributing Photographer)
Temescal Canyon’s Chloe Rivers competes in the Girls 100-yard breaststroke event in the CIF Southern Section Division 3 swimming championships at the Mt. San Antonio College Aquatic Center in Walnut, on Friday, May 3, 2024. (Photo by Alex Gallardo, Contributing Photographer)
Bonita coach Dillon Unsoeld is not going to be one of those people, and neither are the swimmers on his boys squad.
The Bearcats claimed the first section title in program history, winning the Division 3 boys championship at the Mt. San Antonio College Aquatics Center on Friday. And a key reason for that historic moment is because divers Logan Atkinson and Mavryk Mathes picked up 41 of Bonita’s 171 points.
Atkinson and Mathes were the only divers in the Division 3 finals. And without those points, the Bearcats would have finished sixth.
“It was a real group effort. We had a lot of depth this year, and the divers put us in a real good position to start,” Unsoeld said. “We did well in all three relays and had a few individuals do well. Total team effort, and they deserve this team championship.”
Jake Carlson, Max Distaso and Trevor Ngo only competed in one individual event, so they were able to swim legs on all three relays. They combined with Dylan Vegas to finish fourth in the 200-yard freestyle relay (1 minute, 29.72 seconds) and ninth in the 400 freestyle relay (3:23.24). That trio combined with Parker Montgomery to place eighth in the 200 medley relay (1:41.29).
Carlson, Distaso, Mathes, Montgomery and Vegas also helped Bonita win a Division 4 boys water polo championship in the fall.
“It’s been an amazing year,” Carlson said. “We won one in water polo and thought that was incredible. I thought that was going to be the peak of my year. But as soon as we heard we had the chance to win another one, we worked very hard to make that happen.”
Carlson also finished fifth in the 200 freestyle (1:46.61), while Distaso placed fourth in the 50 freestyle (21.34). Ngo was eighth in the 100 butterfly (54.63).
Yucaipa freshman Hunter Tamura was fourth in the 200 freestyle (1:45.98) but returned to the pool and claimed his first section title by winning the 500 freestyle (4:39.07).
“I knew going in I had a chance to win it,” Tamura said. “The guy next to me (Ryan Novak of Cypress) was faster in prelims. He wanted to win, but I think I just wanted it more.”
Carolyn Kao of San Dimas was the only other individual champion from the greater Inland area. Kao won the girls 50 freestyle title in a time of 24.12 seconds, narrowly beating out Hemet’s Jaydah Godbolt (second, 24.17).
Kao finished third in the 100 freestyle (52.90) and combined with Isabella Marroquine, Madison Coss and Emily Robertson for a fourth-place finish in the 400 freestyle relay (3:50.20).
Godbolt took fourth in the 100 backstroke (58.02) later in the meet.
Liberty’s Gwen Asbury placed second in the girls 500 freestyle (5:07.83) and fourth in the 200 freestyle (1:55.44). Liberty is only in its third season, and Asbury talked about the importance of starting a tradition.
“Establishing a tradition can be difficult because everyone wants to do their own thing at times,” Asbury said. “You just have to keep emphasizing those rules and values.”
Chaparral’s David Toschak finished third in the boys 100 butterfly (51.52), and he teamed with Dylan Ranshaw, Ethan Chen and Jack Hougland for second place in the 200 freestyle relay (1:28.22).
Citrus Valley’s Bryce Hitter placed fifth in the boys 200 individual medley (1:57.80) and sixth in the 100 breaststroke (49.06)
Temescal Canyon’s Chloe Rivers was fourth in the girls 100 breaststroke (1:09.02).
Great Oak’s Alexander Hernandez was fourth in the boys 100 butterfly (53.18), and he teamed with Marcos Cordero, Teagan Arnold and Zachary Shoaf for fourth place in the 400 freestyle relay (3:17.21).
Temecula Valley’s Maya Cravens placed fifth in the girls 200 individual medley (2:15.64) and teamed with Vianey Rojas, Maggie Yan and Madison Dockery for fourth in the 200 medley relay (1:57.94).
Webb’s Maya Chin was fifth in the girls 500 freestyle (5:13.25), while Murrieta Mesa’s Addison Schneider was sixth (5:17.95).
