Boys swimming: Sectional goes according to plan for St. Charles East
As he checked his team's time after the meet-ending 400-yard freestyle relay, St. Charles East's John Cranfill slapped the water. There was much to be emotional about on Saturday in the boys swimming sectional the Saints hosted, though Cranfill's display of enthusiasm was one of the few outward displays on a day they took care of business in qualifying all three relays, a diver and 12 swimming entries for next week's state meet in New Trier.
"From the very first event, we were on it," Cranfill said. "We got our cuts. That was our motto today, to just get the cuts. We only had one guy rested and had guys swimming in Speedos and we got our cuts. We did what we needed to do to put ourselves in the best possible position for next week."
Some of the emotion came from the pool record the Saints set in that relay, which removed crosstown rival St. Charles North from their record board.
"We surprised ourselves in that last relay and it made us think about how good we could possibly be," Cranfill said.
St. Charles East won the meet 301-278.50 over crosstown rival St. Charles North. The focus of sectional meets is individual qualification, and the Saints managed to come within four qualifiers of sending their entire sectional lineup to the state meet.
"I was nervous in the beginning," St. Charles East coach Joe Cabel said. "It went according to plan today."
With nearly all the Saints saving their taper for the state meet, there were rough edges in the sectional. They won the meet only winning three events: Joey Scimeca in diving, Kyle Dunlap in the 100 freestyle and the 400 freestyle relay.
"The guys did an awesome job winning the meet today," Cabel said. "But they looked tired. We need to get some rest this week. We're going to focus on chilling a little bit."
Dunlap also qualified in the 200 IM along with Kyle Lewarchick. Nick Boryk qualified in the 100 freestyle and the 100 backstroke and is the only Saints swimmer other than Nagler to qualify in two individual events. Matt Nagler qualified in the 50 freestyle with Harrison Hollman. Matt Ortlund and Cranfill advanced in the 100 butterfly. Austin Cabel qualified in the 500 freestyle while Garrett Prybell and Sean Yetter qualified in the 100 breaststroke.
St. Charles North's young team had a breakout meet and qualified two relays and nine swimmers for the state meet. The North Stars also won five of the afternoon's 11 races.
"I'm pretty stoked," St. Charles North coach Rob Rooney said. "You need to understand this team and where they were at the start of the year and compare it today. We outswam everyone today, and I'm proud of them."
On an afternoon of lifetime-best swimming, the first jolt through the North Stars team unit came when sophomore Brad Whitehurst won the 200 freestyle. He returned later and won the 500 freestyle.
"I'm just really proud of what I did today," Whitehurst said. "I had a feeling I was going to go fast. I took it and threw it and I went fast."
Whitehurst typified the sort of improvement the North Stars have shown this year. A year ago, he swam 4:52 in the 500 freestyle and on Saturday, his time was 4:38.
"I look at what these guys have done and I'm so proud of them," Rooney said.
The North Stars also got a pair of victories from William Myhre. Who won the 200 IM and the 100 breaststroke. Other North Stars qualifiers included Nate Baxter in the 200 IM and the 100 butterfly, Caymus Cairns in the 500 freestyle and the tandem of Nick Wolff and Siba Filipovic in the 100 backstroke.
Payton Glod became the first Geneva swimmer since 2014 to qualify for the state meet when he qualified in the 50 freestyle and the 100 freestyle.
"This feels pretty terrific, because I just missed it last year," Glod said. "I'm excited for next week. I'm halfway through my taper and my goal is to be able to go fast next weekend."
Batavia-West Chicago has a single qualifier as well in junior Keegan Hawkins, who qualified in the 200 freestyle and the 100 breaststroke.
"I was feeling the vibes from my teammates, and that got me psyched up for my races," Hawkins said. "I'm really excited for next week, though I'm a little sad my teammates didn't make it with me. Now I want to swim as fast as I can next week."
Wheaton Academy's Tyler Sesvold won both the 100 butterfly and 100 backstroke. He was his school's only entry to the meet and culminated a turbulent offseason with his qualifications.
"It's been a crazy year, with five injuries and three surgeries," Sesvold said. "There have been a lot of ups and downs, but I've worked with my coach through this process. I never would have thought I would have gone 48 in-season (in the butterfly) or 49 in the back."
The Glenbard North-Glenbard East coop will be represented at the state meet by Peter Andeev in the 50 freestyle and the 100 freestyle.
"I felt both my starts were excellent," Andeev said. "I worked hard on my turns, and every single wall was good, and I think that was the reason I was able to qualify. I think it's going to be really important to hold my taper and swim really well at state."