Multiple reasons these swimmers like No. 12

For competitors in the high school boys swimming state meet, there are dozens of reasons to like the No. 12.

The meet's format allows for only the top 12 finishers from Friday's preliminaries to advance into Saturday's action. And just those 12 entrants on Saturday can score points.

For a handful of Mid-Suburban League competitors on this particular Friday, 12 was an especially elegant, warm number.

Nick Nevins, Alex Bartosik and Josh Dellorto each will earn points for their teams in individual races after finishing 12th on Friday at New Trier and earning spots in Saturday's consolation finals.

Bartosik, a Palatine senior, was in pursuit of his first Saturday state meet appearance in a distinguished career that has included four straight performances on the last weekend of the season.

It was not at all clear, immediately after his effort in the 200-yard IM, that his time of 1:54.04 would be fast enough to achieve his goal of finally earning a Saturday swim.

"I come in and touch the wall - I'm overloaded with pain after a very tough race," explained Bartosik. "Then I look at the board for my time, and I just assumed it wouldn't be fast enough. It was a terrible feeling.

"And then a little later, the coaches are telling me, 'You're in - you're 12th.' I almost couldn't believe it."

Nevins, a Fremd senior, played a similar waiting game in his only individual event, the 50 freestyle. He'd had an excellent swim, winning his early heat in 21.19 - then had to wait to see how all the other heats performed.

Nevins, who later led off Fremd's 200 free relay in 21.07, will also race on Saturday as the anchor on Fremd's 200 medley relay which, naturally, finished 12th.

For Dellorto, a junior from Rolling Meadows who was racing in his third state meet, a simple attitude adjustment seemed to make a big difference.

"I just started thinking about it as, this is the time of the season when you're supposed to be having fun," he said. "And that's what today was - fun."

Dellorto's 12th-place finish in 47.28 in the 100 free marks his first advancement into a point-scoring position and validates several years' worth of intensely focused training.

As the result was displayed on the video board which alerts fans of final placement, it also allowed for the release of joyous howls from Dellorto's supporters.

Dellorto later improved upon the 100 clocking with his leadoff leg of Rolling Meadows' 400 free relay with a 47.24, and he also broke new ground with a 21.55 leadoff leg of the Mustangs' 200 free relay.

"Three best times?" said Rolling Meadows coach Monika Chiappetta. "Hard to ask for any better than that.

"It's a clear confirmation of all the hard work he's done. It's great to see him swimming with such confidence."