San Jose Sport News

SANTA CLARA – Hernan Lopez, the $6 million Argentinian wunderkind from storied club River Plate, made his anticipated debut for San Jose at the start of the second half against LAFC. 

Anyone expecting highlights that recalled the legendary moments his great-uncle Diego Maradona produced in the 1980s probably left Saturday’s match at Levi’s Stadium disappointed.

There were no weaving runs, where defenders and their broken ankles were strewn across Levi’s Stadium’s grass. No thunderbolt goals that whistled past LAFC goalkeeper Hugo Lloris. No perfectly weighted assists that floated into waiting goal-hungry strikers. 

And yet, rightfully so, the Earthquakes were thrilled by what they saw in the 3-1 victory. 

“You could see that he’s a fantastic player,” said forward Amahl Pellegrino. “I think he’s ready and looks really impressive.”

When the Earthquakes introduced Lopez, the club stated they did not believe he’d be eligible to play in its upcoming game. But once he was cleared, coach Luchi Gonzalez began to scheme up ways to utilize the talented playmaker. 

“Thankfully he was cleared to start, and got a head start in helping this team compete,” Gonzalez said.

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Lopez set the tone early in the half. 

He used a tricky juke and a deceptive dribble to get past the defender and a foul just outside the penalty box 30 seconds into the half. The Earthquakes got a free kick out of it. 

Lopez wore No. 23, but there was no doubt the newcomer was the team’s No. 10 from the first moment he stepped on the pitch. The playmaker floated behind strikers Amahl Pellegrino and Jeremy Ebobisse, seeking out space and looking for chances while racking up three key passes and completing 13 passes overall. 

Always an outlet for his team, perpetually sending quick-hitters to players in advantageous positions, and always looking to make the smart play to keep possession. 

They weren’t making the highlight reel, but those small moments of quality greased an Earthquakes attack that sometimes stopped more often than it started. 

“Tonight’s a great step, and can help us gain momentum in the right direction,” Gonzalez said. 

After countryman Cristian Espinoza connected with Pellegrino with a divine long pass for one score, and Espinoza’s corner kick glanced off an LA defender for an own goal, the Earthquakes sat back to defend. 

Nobody is going to mistake Lopez with Roberto Firmino on the press, but he did his job, dutifully tracking back and hounding the LAFC backs with gusto. 

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It may not seem like much, but for a team that entered the day 1–1-8 in large part due to giving up an MLS-high 25 goals on the season, every little bit helped. 

Through a translator, Lopez said he “strives to be a complete player.”

The little things were all that San Jose needed on Saturday, what they’ve lacked this season and what they hope he brings in Tuesday’s Open Cup game against Oakland Roots. 

The highlights should come – Lopez is too talented not to wow for the MLS side – but for now, the Earthquakes should be happy with what he showed on Saturday. 

Warriors beat writer Danny Emerman shares his thoughts on the NBA playoffs and beyond.

After losing Game 3 of their first-round series against the Minnesota Timberwolves on April 27, Phoenix Suns guard Bradley Beal said, “I’ve never been swept in my life. … I’ll be damned if that happens.”

Cut to a media session after putting up a dud in Phoenix’s Game 4, season-ending loss.

“I’ll be damned, man,” Beal said.

Sweeps are a point of pride in the NBA; if the best players in the league can’t even will their team to a single win in a series, that tends to follow them around.

But almost every NBA great has been swept at one point or another. By Beal’s standards, nearly every superstar is damned — every superstar except Steph Curry.

Curry has never been swept out of the playoffs in his career. In fact, the shortest series his Warriors teams have ever lost ended in six games. There are caveats — the Warriors with Curry are 0-3 in play-in games — but in the modern game, that’s an unprecedented level of rising to the occasion.

Kevin Durant, Beal’s teammate, has now been swept out of the first round twice in the past three years. In each, he was grossly out-played by a younger, more dynamic wing in Jayson Tatum and now Edwards.

Magic Johnson was swept twice, Larry Bird once, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar three times, LeBron James twice — both in the Finals, one of which came in 2018 by Golden State, Kobe Bryant three times, and Shaquille O’Neal an astounding six times.

Tim Duncan, in 19 years and 100 more playoff games than Curry, was swept twice.

Even Michael Jordan, the greatest champion of the modern era, was swept twice by Boston — in 1986 and 1987 — before he embarked on his pair of three-peats.

The only other pantheon-level player besides Curry to never get swept out of the postseason is Bill Russell. He spent most of his career in a league with just nine teams and won 11 titles in 13 years. That should say a lot about Curry.

Curry is already known as the greatest shooter ever. Some believe he’s the best point guard ever, over Magic. Everyone knows how much he influenced the game, and that’s probably the weightiest factor of his legacy. But perhaps he should get more credit than he does as an all-time great winner.

An all-time closing team

The 2016-17 Warriors were the best team of the century, and there’s not really much of a debate. In Durant’s first season in the Bay, they went 16-1 in the postseason and came the closest any team has to solving basketball.

The Nuggets feel like the 2016-17 Warriors at closing games.

While other teams freak out and go into their apocalypse bunker, isolation offenses down the stretch, Nikola Jokic seems to generate a great look every single trip down. He never gets rushed and plays like he has the answers to the test.

Oh, and he has Jamal Murray, too, who becomes an ice-cold assassin in the playoffs. Murray drilled two game-winners to beat the Lakers: a ridiculous fadeaway over Anthony Davis in Game 2 and the dagger in Game 5 while playing on a bum calf.

Every game in the Nuggets-Lakers series, Denver fell behind early only to creep back and execute in crunch time. At no point were the Nuggets ever out of a game. The defending champs have the Patrick Mahomes level of inevitability. Until someone somehow kicks them off the throne, pick against them at your own risk.

Karma power rankings

Before the Warriors lost to the Kings in the play-in round, Steve Kerr said he believed the Warriors had built up some good basketball karma. They’d overcome adversity like the death of assistant coach Dejan Milojević, moved past Draymond Green’s early-season drama, and developed strong locker-room chemistry.

Good vibes don’t always lead to winning in the postseason, but sometimes the basketball gods reward those who earn karma, the thinking goes.

So, for the remaining nine teams in the postseason, a power ranking of karma, from worst to best.

9. Cavaliers

They won the lottery, like, every year, and they’re still paying off their karmic debts for Dan Gilbert’s letter to LeBron. Sorry, Cleveland, somebody’s got to be last.

8. Mavericks

Kyrie Irving and Luka Doncic have been fantastic together, but it’s hard to shake a sense of uneasiness with the former.

7. Nuggets

Nikola Jokic makes the game more beautiful, and the defending champs have the swagger that comes with it. But when it comes to karma, we might have a Von Erich situation brewing with the Porter family.

6. Celtics

Boston built a juggernaut the ethical way, like the Warriors once did. A historically great regular season team, anything less than a Finals trip is a failure. That’s a lot of pressure.

5. Magic

The “ahead of schedule” teams always seem to have better vibes. The public hasn’t known them long enough to turn against them. Paolo Banchero’s 21 and an absolute stud, and Orlando’s got some Knicks-lite defenders around him.

4. Pacers

Another early arrival, this time with a flashy young point guard in Tyrese Haliburton. Props to Indiana for pushing chips in at the deadline with the Pascal Siakam move.

3. Thunder

This team is set up to run things in the West for years to come. Whether or not they can start their reign this year, as the second-youngest team in the league, is the question. And they only bottomed out for a couple years to get here.

2. Timberwolves

Anthony Edwards is a sensation. Watching him take over games and grow into a superstar in real time might be the biggest joy of the playoffs. Can he will them to their first Finals?

1. Knicks

The Villanova bros are the grittiest group in years. And the longer they last, the more Sidetalk videos grace the internet. Basketball is better when the Knicks are good.

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The Warriors’ announcing crew of Bob Fitzgerald and Kelenna Azubuike ranked dead last in Awful Announcing’s poll of hundreds of fans. Sixty percent of respondents gave Fitzgerald and Azubuike an “F” grade. The NBC Sports Bay Area broadcasting is stale, homerific and at times condescending (shoutout “Santa Clara Jalen Williams”).

The world’s most valuable basketball franchise has a second-rate broadcasting team. Is there a third Eagle they can call? Does Greg Papa still have their number blocked? Could they convince Dave Flemming to give up his place as heir to Voice of the Giants? Is there enough money in the world for a Dell Curry-Mychal Thompson booth?

Running back the Fitz and Buike broadcast tandem might make even less sense than running back the Warriors’ roster. But, like with the team, it appears likely.

SAN JOSE – Winning this week’s NHL Draft Lottery and selecting Boston University center Macklin Celebrini first overall in June will not cure all that ails the San Jose Sharks.

But bringing in college hockey’s best player from this past season, and potentially a No. 1 center for years to come, is not a bad start.

“One player’s obviously not going to turn this thing around by himself,” Sharks center Nico Sturm said in March. “But I think we do miss players who are game changers, who can create something out of nothing.”

The Sharks hope the ping pong balls bounce their way Tuesday when the NHL conducts its draft lottery in Secaucus, N.J. San Jose has a 25.5% chance, more than any other team, of winning that lottery and ending up with the No. 1 overall pick.

So if the Sharks win it, then what? After Sharks general manager Mike Grier and other members of the team’s front office stand on stage inside the Las Vegas Sphere next month and select Celebrini with the No. 1 overall pick, what’s the next step?

To be clear, Celebrini, still just 17 years old, would not have to sign with the Sharks this year and can return to Boston University for his sophomore season. San Jose would hold his signing rights for four years.

As a freshman, Celebrini scored 64 points in 38 games and won the Hobey Baker Award as college hockey’s most valuable player. His 1.68 points per game average ranked second in NCAA Division I behind the 1.73 average of Sharks prospect Will Smith, who scored 71 points in 41 games for national finalist Boston College.

But assuming Celebrini turns pro, he, like any budding star, will need to be supported.

“Character’s still a big part of the game, and you can’t forget about that,” said former NHL goalie and longtime analyst Darren Pang, now with TNT and NBC Sports in Chicago. “Forget about how important it is not just on your team in your locker room, but also around the entire league. You want to be a respected group.

“The kids, whether it’s Macklin Celebrini, Connor McDavid, or Nathan MacKinnon, you have to surround them with good people.”

The Sharks have said they hope to do that this summer as some roster spots become available after a season in which they finished 19-54-9 for an NHL-worst 47 points.

Eight Sharks players are pending unrestricted free agents, and most will not be brought back. Some restricted free agents on expiring contracts might also leave, and trades are a distinct possibility.

Per CapFriendly, the Sharks have about $49.5 million in salary cap commitments for next season. While Grier has said he won’t spend big dollars on aging high-profile players, he will still have plenty of cap space to add the type of individuals he feels will enhance the team’s culture and help form its identity.

“We definitely need to get faster, be harder to play against,” Grier said in April. “On my side, I think that’s through free agency or trades, looking to add players that fit the bill. We have roster space and cap flexibility to add and target some guys.

“So, hopefully, whether that’s through free agency or through trades, we’ll be allowed to add some guys that fit that profile.”

The Sharks have character players, including captain Logan Couture and alternate captains Mario Ferraro, Mikael Granlund, and Luke Kunin. Sturm is in that group, too, and they all learned what it takes to be a full-time NHL player from respected veterans.

Couture learned from Sharks legends Patrick Marleau and Joe Thornton, and Ferraro was almost inseparable from Brent Burns. As younger players with the Minnesota Wild, Granlund, Kunin, and Sturm were all around Mikko Koivu, who played over 1,000 NHL games and captained the team for 11 years.

If Celebrini comes to the Sharks, he’ll need that same level of mentorship.

“Probably one of the most professional players that I’ve been in a locker room with,” Sturm said of Koivu, who retired after the 2020-2021 season. “I’ve had the chance to learn from guys like that, and likewise, I tried to pass it along to our young guys in our organization.”

“You want (young stars) to learn the game the right way,” Pang said. “Too many times, young kids are anointed in this league.”

After Chicago won last year’s draft lottery, and right before the NHL draft in Nashville, where they selected Connor Bedard first overall, the Blackhawks supported the wunderkind center by acquiring Taylor Hall and Nick Foligno from the Boston Bruins.

Soon after, Chicago also signed veteran Corey Perry to a one-year deal, although Perry was waived and cut by the team in late November for what it termed as “unacceptable” behavior.

Still, the point of adding veterans was to try and ease Bedard’s transition into the NHL and prevent players from other teams from taking liberties with him.

“I remember thinking you’ve got to surround this young man with good, character guys who are respected around the NHL,” Pang said of the time after last year’s lottery. “Not players who will just drop the mitts and fight, but in the middle of a scrum when you’ve got a young player like Connor Bedard, a Nick Foligno who can get into that scrum and get the attention of the other players.”

Celebrini could join a group of Sharks prospects just starting their North American professional careers in the next year or two. All will need time to develop. Celebrini is considered NHL-ready; if not, he could spend time in the AHL with the Barracuda.

Since Celebrini will be coming from the NCAA and not the CHL and will be 18 by then, he is eligible.

It’s hard for anyone to develop in the NHL, Couture said, especially still-growing teenagers.

“It’s massive,” Couture said of his half-season in the AHL in 2009-2010 when he was 20. “I wouldn’t have been able to contribute at the NHL level without spending my (58) games in the American League. I’m of the belief, and people can tell me I’m wrong all day, but you need to dominate in the American League before you can play in the NHL.

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“Rushing players is not a way for players to be successful. You do them a disservice, and in my opinion, it can ruin some players’ careers.”

Whether the Sharks win the lottery or not, they are a long way from being a postseason contender again. This season, they finished 51 points out of a playoff spot, and the Blackhawks, with a generational talent like Bedard, were 46 points out.

But Celebrini would appear to be a good player to have for the Sharks.

“Let’s say we draft first overall. All of a sudden next year, we’re not going to be Stanley Cup contenders,” Sturm said. “That’s obviously not how it works.”

CONCORD — It was a full team effort from De La Salle. 

Despite not having an individual swimmer place higher than fourth and a relay team finish better than third, the Spartans won their third consecutive North Coast Section boys swimming title Saturday at Concord Community Pool. 

De La Salle had an overall score of 236, finishing ahead of second-place Amador Valley, which had a score of 209.

“We have a team culture and great leadership within this team,” De La Salle coach Tom Johnson said. “This was a huge team effort. We had amazing depth and the guys stepped up and swam out of their minds. I just got to sit back and watch these guys do their thing. It was a real pleasure.”

While the Spartans were led by a young nucleus this season, Johnson was proud of the way his two seniors, Logan Condon and Connor Halley-McCarty, performed all spring.

“To see our seniors get this final win in their final chapter is really special,” Johnson said. “They worked so hard for it and it has paid off. I get a little choked up thinking about some of these guys not being around next year but I’m happy to see where they’re gonna go because they’ve got great trajectory.”

Campolindo claimed the girls crown with an overall score of 310, marking the second NCS girls championship for the Cougars in the last three years.

Campolindo’s Elise Gratton and Carondelet’s Madison O’Connell exchange a hug after they finished second and first, respectively, in the 100-yard freestyle final during the swim and dive North Coast Section Championships at Concord Community Pool in Concord, Calif., on Wednesday, April 24, 2024. Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group) 

 One team was notably not at the section championships.

Acalanes originally had 13 swimmers qualify for this weekend’s meet, but was disqualified after its names were not registered for the event before the April 28 deadline. 

Some swimmers dedicated their performances to the Acalanes swimmers by shouting them out during pre-event introductions. 

Saturday’s championship final didn’t have ideal swimming conditions.

Heavy rain and cold winds made warmups much more important as swimmers attempted to stay warm. 

However, the weather didn’t stop Northgate senior and UC Santa Barbara commit Mason Wendler from winning his first-ever section championship event. Wendler won the boys 100-yard freestyle with a time of 44.73, beating out Terra Linda’s Ben Butler, who came in second at 45.37.

Fans cheer for their swimmers competing in the 100-yard butterfly final heat during the swim and dive North Coast Section Championships at Concord Community Pool in Concord, Calif., on Wednesday, April 24, 2024. Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group) 

“I just wanted to get the win,” Wendler said. “It’s a good way to finish my senior year. I don’t usually compete in the 100, so it felt good for sure.”

Carondelet was looking to capture back-to-back section titles but fell short as the Cougars came in at second place in the overall team scores with 258.5 points. 

Head coach Roque Santos thought his team could have done better, despite the poor weather conditions. 

“I think the team did as best as it could,” Santos said. “We had some great swims and some swimmers who probably could do better.”

Carondelet did have many standout performances, especially from Madison O’Connell.

Carondelet’s Madison O’Connell finishes first ahead of Campolindo’s Elise Gratton in the 100-yard freestyle final during the swim and dive North Coast Section Championships at Concord Community Pool in Concord, Calif., on Wednesday, April 24, 2024. Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group) 

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The senior won the 100 freestyle with a time of 50.64 and the 100 backstroke as she clocked in with a time of 53.58. She also helped the Cougars win the 200 medley relay as the Concord school recorded a time of 1:43.56.

Still, Santos said he expects more from UC San Diego commit, especially at the state championships. 

“I didn’t think she did particularly well,” he said. “But I fully expect her to be better next week at state.”

Saturday also had a good showing from many East Bay underclassmen. 

Foothill freshman Luka Mijatovic won the boys 200 freestyle with a time of 1:36.25 and finished the 500 freestyle in first place at 4:21.94.

Foothill’s Luka Mijatovic shakes his head after wining the 500-yard freestyle final during the swim and dive North Coast Section Championships at Concord Community Pool in Concord, Calif., on Wednesday, April 24, 2024. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group) 

Dougherty Valley sophomore Songrui Wu won two events in impressive fashion. Wu won the 200-individual medley in 1:47.88 and the 100 butterfly in 48.64.

Dougherty Valley’s Songrui Wu competes and wins the 200-yard individual medley final during the swim and dive North Coast Section Championships at Concord Community Pool in Concord, Calif., on Wednesday, April 24, 2024. Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group) 

De La Salle’s Matthew Nakayama had the highest individual finish for the Spartans. The sophomore finished fourth in the 100 freestyle, touching the wall in 47.55. 

Campolindo’s Emilia Barck had the Moraga school’s lone first-place individual finish, winning the girls 200 individual medley with a time of 2:01.94. She also helped Campolindo win the 400 freestyle relay as she, Elise Gratton, Adriana Smith and Madison Blackwell touched the wall in 3:25.34. 

Campolindo’s Emilia Barck competes and wins the 100-yard butterfly final heat during the swim and dive North Coast Section Championships at Concord Community Pool in Concord, Calif., on Wednesday, April 24, 2024. Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group) 

San Ramon Valley dominated both the boys and girls 200 freestyle relays. 

The girls team of Alexis Parkinson, Avery Knapp, Sasha Babushkina and Miranda Stevenson edged out second-place Monte Vista with a time of 1:34.89. The boys team of Drew Arney, Chase King, Nick Tovani and Sawyer Jones beat out American High School, recording a time of 1:24.10. 

Winners from Saturday will move on to the state finals which are held from May 10-11 at Clovis West High School. 

Carondelet’s Elizabeth Butler competes and wins the 100-yard butterfly final heat during the swim and dive North Coast Section Championships at Concord Community Pool in Concord, Calif., on Wednesday, April 24, 2024. Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)  Carondelet’s Elizabeth Butler looks on after winning the 100-yard butterfly final heat during the swim and dive North Coast Section Championships at Concord Community Pool in Concord, Calif., on Wednesday, April 24, 2024. Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)  San Ramon Valley’s Miranda Stevenson reacts after winning the 50-yard freestyle final heat during the swim and dive North Coast Section Championships at Concord Community Pool in Concord, Calif., on Wednesday, April 24, 2024. Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)  Campolindo’s Emilia Barck competes and wins the 100-yard butterfly final heat during the swim and dive North Coast Section Championships at Concord Community Pool in Concord, Calif., on Wednesday, April 24, 2024. Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)  Campolindo’s Emilia Barck competes and wins the 100-yard butterfly final heat during the swim and dive North Coast Section Championships at Concord Community Pool in Concord, Calif., on Wednesday, April 24, 2024. Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)  Foothill’s Luka Mijatovic competes and wins the 200-yard freestyle final heat during the swim and dive North Coast Section Championships at Concord Community Pool in Concord, Calif., on Wednesday, April 24, 2024. Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)  Dougherty Valley’s Songrui Wu competes and wins the 200-yard individual medley final during the swim and dive North Coast Section Championships at Concord Community Pool in Concord, Calif., on Wednesday, April 24, 2024. Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)  Dougherty Valley’s Songrui Wu looks on after wining the 200-yard individual medley final during the swim and dive North Coast Section Championships at Concord Community Pool in Concord, Calif., on Wednesday, April 24, 2024. Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)  Dougherty Valley’s Songrui Wu competes and wins the 100-yard butterfly final during the swim and dive North Coast Section Championships at Concord Community Pool in Concord, Calif., on Wednesday, April 24, 2024. Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)  Dougherty Valley’s Songrui Wu gestures after wining the 200-yard individual medley final during the swim and dive North Coast Section Championships at Concord Community Pool in Concord, Calif., on Wednesday, April 24, 2024. Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)  Amador Valley’s Rylee Hutchinson, left, and Dublin’s Kaitlin Lee compete in the 500-yard freestyle final during the swim and dive North Coast Section Championships at Concord Community Pool in Concord, Calif., on Wednesday, April 24, 2024. Hutchinson won the final followed by Lee. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)  Dublin’s Kaitlin Lee, left, and Amador Valley’s Rylee Hutchinson smile after they competed in the 500-yard freestyle final during the swim and dive North Coast Section Championships at Concord Community Pool in Concord, Calif., on Wednesday, April 24, 2024. Hutchinson won the final followed by Lee. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)  Terra Linda’s Ben Butler, center, is congratulated by Miramonte’s Logan Gunn after he finished second in 100-yard freestyle final during the swim and dive North Coast Section Championships at Concord Community Pool in Concord, Calif., on Wednesday, April 24, 2024. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group) 

SAN JOSE — On a rainy day hardly conducive to optimal individual performance, depth that translated to team championships was the defining characteristic of the Central Coast Section swimming and diving championships at Independence High.

Heading into the final event Saturday, the 400-yard freestyle relay, Gunn (boys) and St. Ignatius (girls) had already clinched team titles. Just for good measure, cherry on the top type of thing, each took first place in their respective relays.

Gunn scored 258.5 points to outdistance crosstown rival and two-time defending champion Palo Alto (194). And the Titans did it without an individual titlist, but with overwhelming depth.

“The boys were third two years ago, second last year and they started this year with championship aspirations.” Gunn coach Dustin Fukuda said. “They worked real hard. A really nice group of kids, they really supported each other.”

The St. Ignatius girls swim team celebrates their first place finish in the Central Coast Section swimming championships at Independence High School in San Jose, Calif., Saturday, May 4, 2024. (Karl Mondon/Bay Area News Group) 

St. Ignatius, which scored 257 points to 194 for second-place Palo Alto, had an individual champion in UC Santa Barbara-bound Caitlin Quill in the 100 backstroke, but won both the 400 free and 200 medley relays in taking its third consecutive CCS girls team title.

“It was led by our senior class,” St. Ignatius coach John Dahlz said. “It was the best senior class in history. Those girls led the way.”

Kelsey Zhang, a sophomore at Saratoga High School, wins the 100 yard butterfly at the Central Coast Section swimming championships at Independence High School in San Jose, Calif., Saturday, May 4, 2024. (Karl Mondon/Bay Area News Group) 

Saratoga sophomore Kelsey Zhang broke a CCS record in winning the 200 individual medley, but was later disqualified, a decision a pair of veteran opposing coaches denounced as unfair. Undaunted, Zhang came back to convincingly win her favorite event, the 100 butterfly in 52.14..

She was asked what kind of goals she had for the remainder of the season, time goals or place goals?

“Honestly, just to have fun,” she said. “I’d like a good time and placement, but just to have fun with my team.”

Among the top individual performances in the meet, Archbishop Mitty freshman Shareef Elaydi, won the 200 IM (1:47.80) and the 100 fly (48.06) as well as anchoring the 200 medley relay team to a first-place finish.

Seth Collet of Woodside wins the 100 Freestyle at the Central Coast Section swimming championships at Independence High School in San Jose, Calif., Saturday, May 4, 2024. (Karl Mondon/Bay Area News Group) 

Woodside junior Seth Collet was a double winner in the 100 backstroke (48.86) and the 200 free (1:37.65).

Mountain View junior sprinter Dar Lavrenko, a Cal commit, won the 50 free (20.37) and the 100 free (44.53).

Castilleja senior Olivia Detter, a Northwestern commit, dominated the girls sprints, winning the 50 free (23.36), the 100 free (50.47) and anchoring the 200 free relay team that took first place in 1:35.63.

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A pair of freshmen won the longest races of the day, the 500 free, Menlo-Atherton’s Michael Powell in the boys race and Leigh’s Malia Groen in the girls event.

After having the second-best time in Thursday’s prelims, Powell finished strong, coming from behind to win in 4:30.09.

“I didn’t really know I was going to win,” Powell said. “I thought back to my training and tried to convince myself to push harder. I thought, `just 30 seconds more of pain and then so much happiness.”’

Groen touched the wall in 4;55.09, finishing ahead of M-A’s Hailey Preuss and Palo Alto’s Liew Ladomirak, who earlier won the 200 free. Groen also went into the final with the second-fastest mark in the prelims, but dropped her time by three seconds in the final.

“I’m really happy about it, I’m really proud of myself,” Groen said. “I listened to my coach and had a race plan for the first time. I stuck with the pack for the first half and tried my best to pull away in the second half. And it somehow worked out.”

Gunn High swim coach Dustin Fukuda takes the plunge after his team took first place at the Central Coast Section swimming championships at Independence High School in San Jose, Calif., Saturday, May 4, 2024. (Karl Mondon/Bay Area News Group)  The St. Ignatius girls swim team celebrates their first place finish in the Central Coast Section swimming championships at Independence High School in San Jose, Calif., Saturday, May 4, 2024. (Karl Mondon/Bay Area News Group)  Gunn High’s Kelson Cantrell celebrates after anchoring in his team’s winning 400 Yard Freestyle Relay race at the Central Coast Section swimming championships at Independence High School in San Jose, Calif., Saturday, May 4, 2024. (Karl Mondon/Bay Area News Group)  Archbishop Mitty freshmen Mia Su, right, and Enna O’Young finish in the top two positions of the 100 Breaststroke at the Central Coast Section swimming championships at Independence High School in San Jose, Calif., Saturday, May 4, 2024. (Karl Mondon/Bay Area News Group)