Stevenson takes dual meet over Warren

Stevenson junior Chris Wiatr had a weird feeling following Stevenson's 123-62 dual meet Thursday over visiting Warren.

"I wasn't tired at all," Wiatr said.

That's because Wiatr, a distance swimmer, competed in the 50- and 100-yard freestyle events. He also teamed with Jamie Clark, Josh Hodges and Duncan Partridge to win the 400-freestyle relay (3:29.31).

Wiatr was just one of many swimmers on both teams who experimented with different events, two days before Saturday's Lake County Invitational at Highland Park.

"We were using today as a tune up to get ready for Lake County," said Warren coach Eric Rogers. "That's the biggest meet we have the first half of the season."

Added Stevenson coach Susan Whitehouse: "At the end of the year you're trying to fine-tune things. It's a little bit more fun to change the lineup now."

Wiatr was fourth in the 50 freestyle (24.73) and third in the 100 freestyle (53.11).

"I worked on my form and flip turns," Wiatr said. "I wanted to be more aggressive in the water."

Whitehouse said Wiatr made the most of his swims.

"This was a (chance) for him to use his fast-twitch muscles and figure out how to swim fast," she said. "I want him to carry that speed and explosiveness into the 200."

Stevenson junior Ty Kuper was impressive in winning the 200 freestyle (1:54.95).

"He's stepped up since he had some back problems in the preseason," Whitehouse said. "He looked better (today) than he did at the end of last season."

Partridge took first place in the 100 freestyle (46.56) and the 100 backstroke (56.45). In the 100 backstroke, he edged Warren's Kirk Gagliardo (57.04).

Although Partridge and Gagliardo normally swim other events, they still put on a good show.

"I saw his fingertips twice so I knew he was there," said Gagliardo, who likely will swim the 200 and 500 freestyle at the Lake County Invitational. "He's a big dude, and I tried to keep up with him."

Warren junior Jono Leafblad (1:07.28) edged Stevenson's Sean Madden (1:07.52) in the 100 breaststroke.

"I haven't been swimming it the last two years, but I love it," Leafblad said. "We've had a lot of seniors the last two years swim that stroke."

Rogers hopes Saturday's Invitational will springboard the Blue Devils into winter training.

"We'd like to have an optimistic swim heading into winter break," Rogers said.