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Lonely at the top for South Elgin’s Hasemann

In the final analysis, South Elgin sophomore Nick Hasemann looked at his weekend at New Trier as a learning experience.

Nice for him that he was able to make it one that included scoring the school’s first points in a high school swimming state finals.

Hasemann finished sixth in the 100-yard backstroke (51.37) and 10th in the 200 freestyle (1:42.49). Both times were slightly slower than the qualifying efforts he produced in Friday’s preliminaries.

Without teammates on deck with him, Hasemann found himself feeling a little left out.

“This is not easy, being here alone,” said Hasemann, who trains with the BEST club in Bartlett and represented South Elgin only at the sectional and state meets, after completing the 100 backstroke. “IHSA and (club) swimming are very different.”

The two-day prelim-final arrangement is one important way. Hasemann is more accustomed to having a preliminary race in the morning session of a meet, with a championship heat in the evening of the same day.

He still can take comfort in the fact he produced lifetimes bests by about two seconds in the 200 free and one second in the 100 backstroke.

One other significant difference between club and high school swimming: Every student at South Elgin High School should be proud of their pioneering classmate.

Another Fox Valley swimmer making a breakthrough on Saturday was Jacobs junior Alex Elston. His focus had been on the 100 butterfly all season, and he wrapped up a successful season by finishing 12th in the race (51.31).

Elston credited the performance to coach Rick Andresen.

“He’s just one of the best coaches,” Elston said. “We talked a lot about what it would take to get me to this point, and, hey, here I am.”

The program doesn’t lose much in the way of graduated seniors, so Elston and Co. are looking forward to having more representation on deck next season.

“Definitely,” said Elston. “200 medley relay and 200 free relay, fo sure.”

Cary-Grove sophomore Michael Hamann also broke ground with his first point-scoring effort. He placed 11th in the 100 backstroke (52.37) and figures to be a key player in an event that graduates only four seniors.

In the team race, New Trier added to the girls championshp it won in the fall with an impressive victory in the boys meet.

The Trevians finished at 217 points, and defending champion Naperville Central was close behind at 163. Normal University (96) edged Loyola (92) for third, and St. Charles North (73) was fifth.

Peoria Richwoods senior Matt Elliott capped his phenomenal high school career with one of the two state records of the session, a 53.80 in the 100 breaststroke (Neuqua Valley senior Kevin Cordes was second in 54.16). Elliott also won the 200 IM (1:48.76).

Hinsdale Central junior Danny Thomson was a double winner. He narrowly missed a state record in the 200 free (1:37.56) but improved upon his own state record in the 500 free, finishing in a staggeringly fast 4:21.04.

Loyola sophomore Andrew Jovanovic won the 50 free (20.49) and the 100 fly (48.73). Naperville Central junior Sean Lehane won the 100 backstroke (50.28), edging senior teammate Jeff DePew, who also was second in the 200 IM.

New Trier junior Max Grodecki won the 100 free (45.17) and had legs on both of the Trevians’ winning freestyle relays, and Champaign Centennial senior Kegan Skelton won diving (487.65).

Images: Boys State Swimming Finals

George LeClaire/gleclaire@dailyherald.comCary-Grove's Michael Hamann after competing in the 100-yard backstroke consolation at the boys swimming IHSA state championship finals in Winnetka on Saturday.
Photo by Paul ReeffJacobs junior Alex Elston gets ready for his consolation final heat of the 100-yard butterfly on Saturday at New Trier.