Area qualifiers tapered and ready for challenge

Even though he placed first in the 50-yard freestyle (21.29) and the 100 freestyle (47.18) at the IHSA boys sectional swimming meet at Vernon Hills on Saturday, Stevenson senior Duncan Partridge was not pleased.

"I felt very sluggish," he said. "I didn't swim near where I hoped to."

According to coach Susan Whitehouse, this was a good thing.

Huh?

"He's only halfway tapered," Whitehouse said. "If he felt good (last Saturday), that would be bad."

Partridge is now fully tapered, and he leads a contingent of area swimmers and divers into the state swim meet today and Saturday at Evanston High School.

Libertyville features the most swimmers who will compete this weekend.

The Wildcats qualified three relay teams, including the sectional-champion 200 medley team of Ben Glick, Danny LeJeune, Kegan Rogers and Stevie Wimmer (1:38.64).

Mundelein and Stevenson will also be well-represented.

Senior Kirk Gagliardo is the only swimmer who advanced from Warren. This is the third consecutive trip to state for Gagliardo, who will compete in the 50 freestyle and 100 butterfly.

With the hard work and yardage he has already put in, this was a week where Gagliardo focused on technique and strategy.

"It's been really nice not having to do hard workouts," he said with a smile. "The past few years I've just tried to swim as fast as I can. This year, I want to have a controlled race where I swim every leg strong."

Gagliardo went out a little fast at sectionals in his individual events. When he was more controlled in the relays, he set school records for the 50 and 100 yard freestyle.

"We want him to have that speed without burning himself out in the first half of the race," said Warren coach Erik Rogers. "We've been focusing on that a lot this week and working on the game plan."

Added Gagliardo: "I was really encouraged by the last two times I swam at the sectional."