Wilia Steps Up, Men's Swim Rains Wins To Open SCC Duals

Learning that two of his swimmers had to miss due to illness/injury just prior to the meet, Pasadena City College men's swim team head coach Terry Stoddard knew his Lancers had no margin for error Friday. During a steady rain, PCC came through with some key help by sophomore Jayson Wilia in opening the South Coast Conference dual season by recording wins over El Camino, 144-127, and Long Beach City College, 158-87.

The Lancers won 11 of the 15 events, including two by Wilia, who placed first in both the 200-yard and 100 butterfly events and filled in as a late add to the squad's triumphant opening 200 medley relay race. The letterman won one of the meet's closest races when he touched the wall in the 100 butterfly (56.52) to edge Long Beach's Shaun Spalding by .02 of a second. Wilia also was third in the 100 backstroke.

PCC's talented trio of sophomores Samuel Jo and Sydney Odent and freshman Ryan Wang swam through with flying colors as well. Jo won the 200 freestyle (1:52.86), the 100 backstroke (54.87), and the 200 backstroke (2:02.07). Odent also won three events in the 1,000 freestyle (10:15.07), the 500 freestyle (4.55.54), and a late charge to beat teammate Wang in a photo finish (2:00.37) by .02 in the 200 individual medley.

Wang won the 100 breaststroke (1:02.41) and 200 breaststroke (2:15.73) races.

Freshman Chris Hunt also scored a pair of second places in the 100 freestyle and 100 breaststroke and a third in the 200 breaststroke. That race was a 1-2-3 Lancers finish as newcomer Mario Castanon took second.