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MSL title no longer new to Newby's Fremd squad

In Kristen Newby's five years as head coach, the Fremd boys swim team has come tantalizingly close to winning a Mid-Suburban League boys swimming and diving meet, including a runner-up finish last year.

The Vikings are bridesmaids no more.

Fremd collected a host of early event victories in the meet at Barrington Saturday afternoon, including a win in the 200-yard medley relay and back-to-back 1-2 finishes in the 200 individual medley and 50 freestyle to amass 286 points. That put the Vikings well ahead of the second-place Broncos, who had 264.

Palatine (159), Wheeling (158) and Prospect (153) were bunched in places 3-5.

It was Fremd's first conference title in 11 years — and on some level, it also made up for their 93-93 dual-meet tie with Barrington on Jan. 15, which ultimately led to a co-MSL West dual meet title.

“The kids had been planning this out the whole season,” Newby said. “So it's nice to be able to come here and for them to have done what they wanted to do as a group of kids. As a team, to come in and win the conference was really good.”

Fremd left no doubt early that it was serious about winning.

Tony Lee, Yoochan Lee, Nick Seroni and Kenny Benjamin combined to win the 200 medley relay in 1:38.71, just .19 ahead of Barrington's entry of Colin O'Leary, Colin Cross, Mitch Gavars and John Lagoni.

A little later, in the 200-yard individual medley, Seroni (1:59.20) and Alex Schillinger (1:59.55) finished 1-2.

In the next event, the 50 freestyle, Benjamin (22.01) and Nick Nevins (22.25) also went 1-2.

Seroni just added to the fun in the subsequent 100 butterfly, winning in 52.35.

Fremd didn't tap the brakes late in the meet, either, winning the 200 freestyle relay (1:30.19) and the 400 freestyle relay (3:16.57), besting Barrington both times.

For Seroni, a junior, winning conference was a dream come true.

“It was one of my goals since my freshman year, and it's surreal doing it,” he said. “We came out and proved to ourselves and everyone in the conference that we have what it takes to take it to the next level.”

Though Barrington took second, it was with a heavy heart. Gavars' mother, Suzy Gavars, passed away Friday afternoon while battling with cancer.

The long-time board member of the Barrington Swim Club would have been proud of her son, as he won the 200 freestyle in 1:45.46, nearly 2 seconds ahead of Rolling Meadows' Josh Dellorto (1:47.11), and came from behind to prevail in the 500 freestyle in 4:45.20, a full two seconds ahead of teammate Jeremy Kleinjan (4:47.90).

“We didn't have school (Friday), so I was able to spend the whole day with her, literally from 9 a.m. until the end,” he said. “We had our whole family there — but I came here, and I have my other family waiting for me. Even kids from Fremd and Palatine were like, 'I don't know you that well, but I'm here for you.' ”

Barrington also got individual wins Saturday from Lagoni in the 100 freestyle (48.72) and O'Leary in the 100 backstroke (52.94).

“It was a little tough emotionally for us at the beginning of the meet,” said Barrington coach John Valentine, a 1978 Fremd graduate. “But when the boys got into their second, third event, they were back to being themselves, being teammates.

“We had 50 percent drop times today and 50 percent just above our best times. So in terms of our training cycle, I'm pretty happy with where the team is.”

Wheeling got the only other non-Fremd or Barrington first-place finish, when Nate Reiff won the 100 breaststroke in 1:00.16, just ahead of Cross (1:00.95).

“Two years ago we were second, last year we were fifth, and we definitely wanted to move back up,” said Wildcats coach Tod Schwager. “There's some great competition here. Our guys rose to the occasion and I'm proud of them.”

Palatine was once again solid, getting a fourth-place finish in the 200 medley relay (1:42.07) and a third place in the 400 freestyle relay (3:17.90).

Junior Alex Bartosik had the top individual placement, finishing third in the 200 IM (2:00.71).

“Looking at our practices for the last week, they were bouncing off the walls excited — I figured I rested them too much,” said Pirates' coach John Schauble. “But we were on season-best times today.”

Prospect, which won the MSL East dual-meet title, got a third-place finish from Jacob Kosinski in the 100 breaststroke (1:00.99), after being seeded seventh, along with a fourth-place finish from Matthew Inserra in the 50 freestyle (22.87).

“I thought we swam really well,” said Prospect coach Alfonso Lopez. “We were looking at this as kind of 'hold,' or if we could improve, and I think we did that across the board.

“I thought we had some surprising swims, I thought Kosinski in the 100 breast had a great swim. There were some kids moving.”

  Nick Seroni of Fremd heads for victory in the 100-yard butterfly during Saturday's Mid-Suburban League meet at Barrington. Bob Chwedyk/bchwedyk@dailyherald.com
  Nick Seroni of Fremd celebrates on the podium after winning the 200-yard IM during Saturday's Mid-Suburban League meet at Barrington. Bob Chwedyk/bchwedyk@dailyherald.com
  Colin O'Leary of Barrington heads for a second-place finish in the 100-yard butterfly during Saturday's Mid-Suburban League meet at Barrington. Bob Chwedyk/bchwedyk@dailyherald.com
  John Lagoni of Barrington churns to ward a win in the 100-yard freestyle during Saturday's Mid-Suburban League meet at Barrington. Bob Chwedyk/bchwedyk@dailyherald.com
  Fremd's Nick Nevins finishes second in the 100-yard freestyle during Saturday's Mid-Suburban League meet at Barrington. Bob Chwedyk/bchwedyk@dailyherald.com
  Barrington's Mitch Gavars winning the 500-yard freestyle during the Mid-Suburban League boys swimming meet at Barrington. Bob Chwedyk/bchwedyk@dailyherald.com
  Barrington's Mitch Gavars is congratulated after winning the 500 freestyle during the Mid-Suburban League boys swimming meet at Barrington. Bob Chwedyk/bchwedyk@dailyherald.com
  Barrington's Mitch Gavars holds his medal after winning the 500 freestyle during Saturday's Mid-Suburban League meet at Barrington. Bob Chwedyk/bchwedyk@dailyherald.com
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