Boys’ varsity swim claimed a share of the Freeway League title at Yorba Linda High School on May 1, capping an undefeated dual-meet season. The championship, the program’s first since 2022, preceded a postseason run where seven Wildcats competed at the CIF Southern Section Division 2 finals.
26 years after Oliver White (‘99) set the BOHS record in the 100-yard backstroke, Kyle Franks (‘26) broke it twice in one week at the CIF finals meet at Mt. San Antonio College May 8.
“Oliver White was a huge role model for me,” Franks said. “So to be able to beat his time blew away my expectation.”
Franks, who will play water polo at University of California, Santa Barbara in the fall, placed third in the 100-yard backstroke with a time of 50.82, lowering by .04 the 50.86 record he set earlier in the week at prelims. The swim also gave Franks a qualifying time for State Championship prelims which begin today at Clovis West High School.
Franks also finished eighth in the 100-yard freestyle with a time of 47.20, two seconds slower than his 2025 school record personal best of 45.91.
Ethan Kow (‘28) placed 18th in the 200-yard Individual Medley (IM) and ninth in the 500-yard freestyle before joining Franks, Ethan Tergina (‘26), and John Jamero (‘28) in the boys’ 200-yard and 400-yard freestyle relay teams at CIF finals.
As a senior, Tergina’s goal was to provide leadership to the underclassmen. “Going into CIF, I felt confident and wanted to help build up the younger guys,” Tergina said.
Additional CIF qualifiers included Rylee Szary (‘26) in the 100-yard and 200-yard freestyles, and Addison Berg (‘28) in the 500-yard freestyle.
The CIF results followed the league championship just four days prior.
The team finished with 440.5 points at league finals, placing second behind Canyon’s 449.5, and combined with an undefeated dual meet season against Esperanza, Canyon, El Dorado, and Yorba Linda high schools to claim a share of the title.
Head coach Gil Roblum said the title was a result of the team’s season-long effort. “It means a feeling of reward for all their hard work,” Rotblum said.
Franks led the team with 40 points, winning both the 50-yard freestyle in 21.57 seconds and the 100-yard backstroke in 52.25. Franks was also named the Freeway League Boy Swimmer of the Meet for the second consecutive year.
“It’s an honor to be recognized as league MVP for two years in a row,” Franks said. “I’m very fortunate to have the opportunity to compete at this level.”
Kow scored 37 points, taking first in the 500-yard freestyle with a personal-best time of 4:47.50, finishing 16 seconds ahead of the second-place swimmer.
Additional contributions at league finals came from Tergina with 31 points, Jamero with 27.5, and Aiden Ryan (‘26) with 26. In the 400-yard freestyle relay, the team of Jamero, Tergina, Kow, and Franks touched the wall four seconds ahead of El Dorado for a first-place finish.
Team chemistry, according to Rotblum, is one of the team’s strengths.
“Their success was rooted in their support of each other,” Rotblum said. “They were invested in seeing their teammates succeed.”
That support carried over into competition.
“The reason we succeeded was because of the energy we came out with, supporting each other,” Franks said. “While races were individual, we pushed each other to be better at every moment we could.”
For some swimmers, the title carried a more personal meaning.
“Winning league, for me, was an opportunity to show my gratitude to our seniors who have helped me personally progress as a swimmer,” Jamero said.
With a league title and a record-breaking postseason, the Wildcats look to maintain the team chemistry Rotblum described as the foundation of the program.
Franks and Rotblum travel to CIF State Championships prelims today where Franks, seeded 33, will compete for the second year in a row.
