Plenty of healthy performances at Glenbrook North

Even a week ago, it didn't look great for Wheeling junior swimmer Nick Konstantos.

A standout in the 100-yard breaststroke, he wasn't sure what to expect entering his state-qualifying efforts at the Glenbrook North sectional.

Two recent issues with his left arm - wrist and forearm - had been treated with cortisone and immobilization. Far from ideal preparation for the rigors of bettering an ultra-tough state meet time standard.

Even just over a week ago, Konstantos was still wearing a brace to protect his left forearm - the result, he says, of his job clerking in a big-box store.

That same arm had no trouble supporting the weight of a runner-up medal Saturday.

Konstantos nearly won the 100 breast, finishing in 59.29 and taking second - well under the state-meet cut and some five seconds better than his seed time.

"I knew after the medley relay it could be good," said Konstantos. "But still, yes, surprising.

"Getting to state has always been the goal, but to be honest I was thinking it might have to be next year - not that I'm complaining."

While qualifiers like Konstantos are noteworthy, there were also some surprises for the elite competitors at Glenbrook North.

Glenbrook South, led by senior standout Sam Iida, won with 289 points, well ahead of Glenbrook North (214) and Deerfield (196). Iida won the 500 free in 4:36.50, just missing the pool record held by Conant's Jon Burke, and also won the 200 IM in a pool record 1:48.81.

Alongside Iida in the discussion of state-level elites are St. Viator junior Michael Balcerak and Hersey junior Michael Petro.

Balcerak won the 100 free in 45.47 and the 200 free in a pool-record 1:40.24.

"I was just hoping to be 45-something in the 100 - 45.9 would have been fine," said Balcerak, who qualified to state for a third time. "And the 200, too, a little faster than I really thought I'd be."

It all bodes well for next week at New Trier, where Balcerak is hoping for a much different ending than last season at Evanston. A year ago at this time, an illness kept him from the kind of finishes he knew he was capable of.

"Best case, I think I could win something," said Balcerak. "But definitely hoping for top three."

St. Viator finished sixth with 101 points under first-year coach Sam Wilcher. Among the other key individual efforts those of sophomore Michael Ruben, who was sixth in the 200 IM (2:00.47) and seventh in the 100 fly (54.16)

"Finishing sixth at this meet, with a nine-swimmer team?" Wilcher said. "These guys far exceeded what I thought they could do."

Petro came up with a lifetime best 49.15 in winning the 100 fly - with second place more than 2½ seconds behind. Earlier, he found himself in a terrific race with Iida in the 200 IM, and that matchup helped produce a second-place finish in 1:49.91.

Both of those efforts will have Petro in middle lanes at Friday's state prelims.

As pleased as Huskies coach Dick Mortensen was with the times, he seemed even more satisfied by his standout swimmer's choices. Though Petro is reserving his full body shave-and-taper for the state meet, he still sported a shaved head for the sectional meet, simply as a show of unity to his teammates.

Petro will be Hersey's only competitor at the state meet, and he hopes the best is yet to come.

"Today, everything just felt under control, really smooth," he said.

Rolling Meadows experience the full range of sectional emotions and managed to emerge triumphant.

After the disappointment of a near-miss to state by Josh Dellorto in the 50 free, the Mustangs regrouped. Dellorto personally started the reversal of fortune by narrowly qualifying in the 100 free (47.63) - and then it got really fun.

The 200 free relay of Dellorto, Nate Pardini, Filip Pancerz and Jake Pors finished third in 1:27.77 - a mere two one-hundredths of a second faster than the state standard.

The same grouping finished third in the 400 free relay, this time with a little room to spare. The time was 3:12.80, a full half-second better than the cut.

Both relay times are program records.

"I think from the beginning of the year, these four boys knew this was going to be what defined them," said Rolling Meadows coach Monika Chiappetta. "They knew they were going to need each other to be at 100 percent, and that's what they gave - not only today, but at practice.

"That collective effort, day in and day out, is what it takes. And it paid off for them."

Rolling Meadows had strong swims throughout the meet, including the first sub-five-minute 500 free from Pardini (4:53.74). Pancerz came up with lifetime bests in the 200 free (1:46.22) and the 100 fly (53.18).

And Pors had superlative anchor legs on the relays, including a 21.64 on the 200 and a 48.26 to finish the 400.

"I think it really helps me," said Pors of the added responsbility of completing the relays. "Especially when it's a close race, without a doubt that helps get me going."

Going to state again are Prospect diver Anthony Liva and junior breaststroker Jacob Kosinski. Their efforts helped the Knights to fourth place in the team picture at 142 points, best of the Mid-Suburban League schools in attendance.

In the 100 breast, Kosinski placed third in 59.46. He'll be making a second consecutive state meet trip. Prospect also got fourth-place points from the medley relay of Asher Ginnodo, Kosinski, Matt Inserra and Nick Partipilo, and the 200 free relay of Inserra, Ginnodo, Alex Jarosz and Partipilo.

Liva, a senior, placed second in diving with a terrific score of 482.50; he will make his third straight state voyage with an at-large berth. Other at-large possibilities in diving include Hersey sophomore Nick Nocita (427.20) and Maine West senior Devin Peters (393.00).

Elk Grove junior Jack Falejczyk produced efforts on par with his lifetime bests in qualifying to state once again in the 50, 100 and 200 freestyles and the 100 breaststroke for athletes with disabilities.

Though sightless, Falejczyk has plenty of good folks looking out for him.

"We've been able to take his yardage up quite a bit this year," said Elk Grove assistant coach Dave Toler. "Last year, I'd say we averaged maybe 2,500 or 3,000 yards per workout. This year, we've had a lot that were 4,500 or 5,000. So the hope is that shows up at state this year."

Grenadiers sophomore Adrian Wlodarz will not be among those competing at state. But his experience is typical of the kind of breakthrough efforts that happen at sectional meets.

A switch to the 500 freestyle late in the season led to progressively better results for Wlodarz, such as his 4:59.95 finish Saturday - almost a quarter-minute faster than at the previous week's conference meet.

"Every time out, I feel like I'm learning something important," he said. "This is the first time I've even done the 500 two weekends in a row."

Equally promising was his 22.69 split on the end of Elk Grove's 200 free relay.

"It feels nice," Wlodarz said with a satisfied grin. "All the work you put in, all the sacrifices you make in a season . . . but then on days like this, you really see that it's all worth it."