SWIMMING NOTEBOOK: CANYONS AQUATIC WEARS SCSAA CROWN.

Byline: Erik Boal Special to the Daily News

It might have been the home-pool advantage or maybe it was the team's overwhelming depth, but Canyons Aquatic Club continued its impressive summer long-course season this past weekend at the Southern California Swimming AA Championships at the Santa Clarita Aquatic Center.

Canyons dominated the women's competition, defeating the highly regarded Mission Viejo Nadadores 2,849-2,046. The margin of victory also helped Canyons win the combined team title 5,106-4,320 over Mission Viejo, which held a 17-point advantage over Canyons in the men's competition during the four-day event.

Much of Canyons' success in the women's competition came in the relays. Relying on the performances of several Daily News All-Area swimmers, Canyons won all five women's open relays.

Canyon High's Roxy Camuso teamed with Saugus' Melissa Bowers, Valencia's Michelle Kroll and Quartz Hill's Sarah Colvin to win the open 200-meter freestyle relay in 1 minute, 55.99 seconds. Camuso, Colvin, Kroll and former Saugus standout Lauren Kristensen teamed to capture the 400 free relay (4:08.74), and Colvin and Kroll joined forces with Hart's Molly Rogers and recent Saugus graduate Lizette Patterson to win the 800 free relay (9:13.15).

Canyons completed the relay sweep, as Bowers, Camuso, Colvin and Kroll won the 200 medley relay (2:13.91) and Bowers, Colvin, Kroll and Patterson were victorious in the 400 medley relay (4:45.87).

In women's open individual competition, several Canyons' swimmers qualified for the Super Eight championship heat, with 13-year-old Jordan Danny winning the 100 breaststroke in 1:16.74 and Camuso capturing the 50 free (27.69). Camuso also took second in the 100 free (1:01.11) and eighth in the 100 backstroke (1:13.83).

Colvin and Kroll each qualified for the Super Eight finals in three events. Colvin placed fifth in the 100 butterfly (1:08.5), fourth in the 100 backstroke (1:10.21), and fifth in the 100 free (1:01.69). Kroll was third in the 200 backstroke (2:31.69), fifth in the 100 backstroke (1:11.43) and sixth in the 100 free (1:02.38).

Patterson took third in both the 200 breaststroke (2:47.61) and 200 individual medley (2:31.23), and Hart's Rachael Krager was second in the 200 butterfly (2:26.79).

In the boys' competition, Canyons didn't score as well in the relays as its female counterparts, as Mission Viejo and the Irvine Aquazots combined to win four of the five races. Canyons' lone victory came in the 400 medley relay, which included one of the few appearances at the meet from Saugus standout John Criste.

Along with Cleveland of Reseda's Michael Chiu, Saugus' Ryan Kristensen and Hart's Daniel Hofstedt, Criste helped lead Canyons to victory in 4:15.31, more than 12 seconds faster than second-place Palos Verdes Aquatics.

Erik Boal, [phone]

erik.boal(at)dailynews.com