Support our high school sports coverage by becoming a digital subscriber. Subscribe now

The Register’s All-County boys swimming and diving team for 2022.

BOYS SWIMMER OF THE YEAR

Matthew Chai, Sonora, Sr.

An under-the-radar transfer in swimming occurred after the 2021 season as Matthew Chai arrived at Sonora from Diamond Bar.

Chai had a quiet CIF-SS Division 1 final that spring but started to pile up impressive results in the 500-yard freestyle.

By the time he observed the sitout period for transfers in March, his days of being unnoticed were soon over.

Chai burst onto the Orange County scene in April and went on to break the oldest swimming record on the CIF Southern Section books. He also captured a CIF State title by out-dueling Loyola junior Rex Maurer, arguably the top high school boy in California.

For his efforts, Chai — bound for reigning NCAA champion Cal — is The Register’s boys swimmer of the year.

“Matthew is an incredible talent and an extremely tough competitor,” Loyola coach Kevin Mann said. “Watching Rex and Matthew duel in the 500 was a special event for everyone to witness. Not often do two of the best of all-time (in high school swimming) get to go head-to-head. Matt’s future is very bright.”

Chai helped bring the 20-lap, 500 freestyle into the spotlight at the CIF-SS finals in Mission Viejo when he edged Olympian Jeff Kostoff’s 1983 record for Upland in Division 2 by half-a-second with a time of 4 minutes, 15.91 seconds.

The following week at the state meet in Fresno, Chai outdueled Division 1 champion Maurer by almost 2 1/2 seconds to touch first in a meet-record and lifetime-best 4:15.09.

“I’ll take it. It was a good season,” Chai said. “I’m hoping to go Cal and they can help me work more on my 500.”

Chai’s time in the 500 free ranks him second in Orange County history behind Grant Shoults, who set the national high school record for Santa Margarita with a 4:12.87 in 2016.

A club swimmer with Fullerton-based FAST, Chai also led the county in the 200 free with a lifetime-best and meet-record 1:37.06 at the Mt. SAC Swimming High School Spring Meet of Champions in mid-April.

That’s the meet were Chai burst onto the county scene. He also blazed a meet-record 4:16.32 in the 500 free.

“I wasn’t expecting it,” he said of his performance at Mt. SAC. “I went there for fun. I just wanted to get warmed up for the (U.S.) Team Trials but I guess because there was no pressure … (and) that’s sometimes how you swim your best.”

Chai’s progression continues this weekend when he races for Team USA at the Mel Zajac Jr. International Swim Meet in Vancouver.

COACH OF THE YEAR

Rod Snyder, San Juan Hills

San Juan Hills boys swimming coach Rod Snyder always believed the Stallions had the potential to be a factor on the Orange County scene.

They just needed time to cultivate a fun but competitive culture, and start climbing the ranks.

That time arrived this spring. San Juan Hills captured its second consecutive Sea View League title, finished eighth in CIF-SS Division 1 and blazed seven school records, including three that earned All-County honors.

For his efforts, Snyder is The Register’s boys coach of the year for 2022.

Rod Snyder of San Juan Hills is the Orange County boys swimming and diving coach of the year for the  2022 season. (Photo courtesy of San Juan Hills athletics)

“The kids are incredible,” the sixth-year coach said. “It’s just getting them to believe.”

David Schmitt led the way by becoming the first San Juan Hills boy to capture a CIF-SS and state individual title. The junior swept the 100-yard butterfly at the Division 1 and state finals, posting the second-fastest time in county history with a touch in 47.25 seconds at the section meet.

Snyder, also the club coach and owner of Laguna Niguel-based Dolphin Aquatics, said the return of senior sprinter Jake Redman and the improvement of Thomas Schmitt — David’s twin brother — also were keys to the team’s breakout season.

Redman didn’t race for San Juan Hills as a junior but finished with the second-fastest 50 free in the county (20.41) and raced on the second-fastest 200 free relay (1:23.46). Thomas Schmitt set the school record in the 100 backstroke in winning the league title in 53.35.

San Juan Hills would have placed even higher in Division 1, and perhaps state, had its 400 free relay not been disqualified at league finals. The Stallions still left their mark.

“We just wanted to have place (in the county), and be respected,” Snyder said.

ALL-COUNTY TEAM

(All distances in yards.)

200 medley relay: Santa Margarita (Ramon Jiang, So., Keller Morgan, Jr., Daniel Verdolaga, So., Hunter Cehelnik, So.) 1:30.08-oc; Northwood (Derek Hitchens, Fr., Eric Zhu, Sr., Younghun Kim, Sr., Christopher Leung, Jr.) 1:32.37-PCL

200 freestyle: Matthew Chai (Sonora, Sr..) 1:37.06-MTSAC; Anders Aistars (Tesoro, Sr.) 1:37.64

200 individual medley: Tona Zinn (Laguna Hills, Sr.) 1:46.47-ca; Keller Morgan (Santa Margarita, Jr.) 1:47.37

50 freestyle: Anders Aistars (Tesoro, Sr.) 20.25r; Jake Redman (San Juan Hills, Sr.) 20.41

100 butterfly: David Schmitt (San Juan Hills, Jr.) 47.25; Daniel Verdolaga (Santa Margarita, So.) 48.42

100 freestyle: Anders Aistars (Tesoro, Sr.) 44.01; Hunter Cehelnik (Santa Margarita, So.) 45.30-r ca

500 freestyle: Matthew Chai (Sonora, Sr.) 4:15.09-ca rec.; Jan Zika (Tesoro, Jr.) 4:32.65

200 freestyle relay: Santa Margarita 1:23.22 (Jerry Yan, So., Hunter Cehelnik, So., Tony Ju, Jr., Ramon Jiang, So.) 1:23.22-TL; San Juan Hills (Jake Redman, Sr., Thomas Schmitt, Jr., David Schmitt, Jr., Artem Kiryukhin, Sr.) 1:23.46-ca

100 backstroke: Joey Kling (Sonora, Sr.) 48.99; Ramon Jiang (Santa Margarita, So.) 49.13-ca

100 breaststroke: Tona Zinn (Laguna Hills, Sr.) 54.26; Matthew Lou (University, Sr.) 54.84-PCL

400 freestyle relay: Santa Margarita (Hunter Cehelnik, So., Allen Cai, Jr., Jaden Ficklen, Jr., Tony Ju, Jr.) 3:01.96-oc ca; Northwood (Younghun Kim, Sr., Will Chen, Fr., Derek Hitchens, Fr., Christopher Leung, Jr.) 3:03.00-ca

Diving: Rhys Davies (Dana Hills, Sr.) 499.20-ca; Chase Shipp (Laguna Beach, Fr.) 486.95

Related Articles

ALL-COUNTY LEGEND: ca rec: California state meet record; ca: clocked at the California state meet; oc: Orange County record; PCL: Pacific Coast League meet record; MTSAC: Mt. SAC invite record; TL: Trinity League meet record; r: relay leadoff. Note: diving scores from CIF-SS, California state meets