The Cerritos College men's swimming team opened the 2012 season at the Waterman Festival and Pentathlon at Palomar College over the weekend. The Falcons, who return only three swimmers from last season, got a chance to get their freshmen their first collegiate experience. The team will take a week of before competing in the SCC Pentathlon at Pasadena City College next Friday, while the divers will take part in the SCC Diving Preview the next day at El Camino College.

 

    In the pentathlon, freshman Albert Vidal (Montebello HS) recorded the 22nd best overall time for the five events and finished 17th out of the 100 competitors in the 50-yard backstroke (28.78) and 100-yard IM (59.97) to help him compile a total time of 2:51.38. It was a very tight competition, as the winning overall time was only 14 seconds ahead of Vidal. Also swimming well was sophomore Mario Ibarra (El Rancho HS), who finished 32nd overall, but saw his time of 22.81 came in as the ninth fastest of all the swimmers in the 50-yard freestyle. He was also 14th in the 50-yard butterfly with a time of 25.64.

 

    In the relays, Ibarra placed seventh in the 100-yard butterfly with  a time of 57.45, while sophomore Dustin Yi (Warren HS) came in ninth place in the 100-yard back stroke when he touched up in 1:04.39. The time of 4:45.90 that Vidal recorded in the 400-yard IM was good for eighth place, while Vidal (10:38.90) and Yi (11:22.92) finished in fourth and eighth, respectively in the 1000-yard freestyle.