Parmenter’s Record a Team Effort

Sophomore Jennifer Parmenter is more than a member of the L.A. Baptist High swim team--she is the swim team.

Parmenter, who competes in Mission League dual meets as the lone member of the L.A. Baptist team, broke her record in the girls’ 200-yard individual medley event and also won the 500 freestyle Friday night at the Southern Section Division I swimming championships at the Belmont Plaza Pool in Long Beach.

Irvine, led by Olympic gold medal winner Amanda Beard and Danielle Dealva, scored 293 points to capture its first girls’ team swimming title. Fountain Valley finished second with 238.

The Mission Viejo boys won their fourth consecutive title and 19th overall, outscoring Santa Margarita, 305-208.

Parmenter’s time of 2:00.41 in the 200 individual medley bested her Division I record of 2:00.82, set in last year’s finals.

“I’m happy with the time, but I was shooting for the national record [1:59.53],” said Parmenter, who is preparing for the U.S. Nationals in the summer.

Beard and Dealva were named co-outstanding girls’ swimmers of the meet. Beard, who won a gold last year in the 400-meter medley relay and silver medals in the 100 and 200 breaststroke, took first place in both the 100 breaststroke and 100 freestyle.

Beard said she has little trouble getting motivated for high school matches, despite her national success.

“It’s easy to get pumped up for this because my teammates are so fired up,” she said. “It’s a lot of fun for me.”

Philippe Demers of Santa Margarita was named the boys’ outstanding swimmer after breaking his Division I record in the 100 butterfly and winning the 200 freestyle.

“I was trying to go under 48 seconds,” said Demers, who won the 100 in 48.25, breaking last year’s mark of 48.68. “But I guess all I had in me was a 48. But I’ll take it though.”