Swimmers felt the burn in their muscles and on their skin competing in 90-degree weather at the conference championships April 24-26 in Pasadena.

The men finished fourth in the conference and Mike Colavita, Tim Warnock and David Austin, qualified for the state championships which will be today tomorrow and Saturday at Saddleback College.

“It was sunny, hot, and in the mid-nineties out there in Pasadena,” swimming and diving coach Corey Stanbury said.

Some of the best performances included Shon Page in the 400-yard individual medley with a time of 4:36.15; Daniel Bender in the 500-yard freestyle with a time of 4:59.78, and Tim Warnock in the 100-yard freestyle with a time of 47.72.

“We want one hundred, percent lifetime best out of every swimmer,” Stanbury said.

At the conference, the Warriors beat two teams that they had lost to during the regular season. The swimmers tapered, which is to shave down and rest, to prepare and perform at their best during the conference.

“You had to make this time, so you wanted to be the best tapered you could be to get that time,” Mike Gavola, freestyle swimmer, said. “If you did get that time, you’re tapered too early so at state you’re thrown off a little bit.”

The swimmers rested themselves to perform at their peak at conference. However, this may put those qualified at a disadvantage because they already tapered for conference and not the championships.

“I think they’re prepared. There is not much they can do besides stretch out and feel good,” Page said. “I mean the important thing is you want to feel good and do your best and I think they can do that.”

The swim team is going soft in practice reducing its time to one hour. Only the state qualifiers have to stay and practice.

“We get them in here for about an hour,” Stanbury said. “They get loose, they do a little bit of sprinting, a little bit of technique, and we get them out.”