By Pete Borello

Prep Swimming Spotlight

A lot of students see spring break as a time to sleep in, hang out with friends and go on a vacation.

The St. Francis High boys swimming and diving team, however, saw last week’s break as an opportunity to get ready for the Central Coast Section championships.

“Those with CCS aspirations stayed here and trained,” coach Terry O’Donnell said last week. “We’re three weeks from the championships and can’t afford to take too many days off. It’s a great week to get zeroed in on our short-term goals.”

St. Francis has two other crucial meets prior to the CCS championships, set for May 11 and 12 at the Santa Clara International Swim Center.

The Lancers close their dual meet season on Thursday at St. Ignatius. The two teams are tied for second in the West Catholic Athletic League at 3-1. The meet goes off at 3:30 p.m.

“That’s a big matchup for us,” said O’Donnell, in his seventh-year as coach.

May 3-5, St. Francis hosts the WCAL meet. League-leading Bellarmine (4-0) is favored to win the meet and contend for another CCS title.

“Bellarmine and Palo Alto are the top two teams in CCS,” O’Donnell said. “Menlo’s pretty good, too, as is St. Ignatius and Los Gatos.”

O’Donnell isn’t sure his team has enough depth to challenge the Bells and Paly for the CCS crown, but he’s convinced the Lancers can stand up to the other contenders.

“This is one of the most competitive teams we’ve had,” said O’Donnell, who last season led St. Francis to a third-place finish at the CCS meet. “We had more speed last year, but we have greater depth this year.”

Eleven individuals and all three relay teams from St. Francis have already qualified for the CCS Trials.

O’Donnell expects at least six other team members to qualify in the coming weeks by reaching times specified by the CCS.

The Lancers’ best swimmer is Steve Lipinski, who tops the CCS in both freestyle events: the 50-meter (21.32 seconds) and 100 (47.35). He also anchors the 200 and 400 free relay teams.

Lipinski won the 100 free at last year’s CCS meet and claimed the 50 free title two years ago.

“He’s a very gifted individual with a lot of physical talent,” O’Donnell said of the senior.

Other swimmers to qualify include seniors Rob Beech (50 free), Nick Neylan (100 free), Arash Ng (100 breast stroke), and Michael Dellamano (100 butterfly, 200 individual medley); sophomore Pat McCarthy (100 backstroke) and freshmen Tyler Elliott (100 back) and Kevin Winkler (500 free).

The Lancers’ three divers - senior Adam Peterson, junior Ryan Jaques and sophomore Matt Bisordi - have also earned CCS invitations.

Peterson, headed to Stanford University next fall, has won the past two CCS diving titles.

“He was second in CCS as a freshman and that was the only high school meet he’s ever lost,” O’Donnell said of the Los Altos resident. “He’s a tremendous athlete.