Childs comes of age, nets top-12 finishes

Fremd junior Sam Childs waited his turn to stand in front of the red, white and blue Illinois High School Swimming Association banner. Another state medal, another photo opportunity, another beaming grin. No matter how much he was hurting.

"When he hit this weekend, he was going in on an extended taper and I'm like 'Sam, you're going to feel this, this is going to hurt,' " said Fremd's second-year coach Nicole LaBeau.

But it was all smiles for the first-time state qualifier this weekend at a jam-packed Evanston High School. Not only did Childs earn 12th place in the 100 free (48.01) and 200 free (1:44.25), he became Fremd's first double-medalist at state since Steve Miskovetz took fifth in the 200 IM and was runner-up in the 100 breaststroke in 2003.

If someone a few weeks ago would have told you that you'd be walking out of the state meet with two medals, would you have believed them?

"Probably not," said Childs, who was the top seed in the 100 free (46.97) heading into the meet. "The team's come a long way this season. We're definitely trying to bring back the name of 'Fremd' in the state -- we've been pulling up the last couple of years."

But this season, it's been full speed ahead for the Vikings. After a second-place showing at the Mid-Suburban League meet two weeks ago, Fremd steamrolled its way to a sectional championship at Barrington last Saturday, and brought a full complement of green and gold to state. On the surface, Fremd's 2 team points this weekend are only a slight improvement from last year's output (1), but considering the Vikings went scoreless at state in each of the previous two years, the program is definitely heading in the right direction.

"A lot of guys are stepping up or stepping in," LaBeau said. "There's more that are learning, seeing that 'Hey, this is the high school state swimming meet, this is your goal, this is what we're gearing for.' It's like bringing them to the Olympics and saying 'This is what you're going to be doing next year.'"

Childs will be back next year, as will teammate Varun Shivakumar, who's still targeting a top-six finish. Last year's 12th-place medalist in the 100 back qualified ninth in the event on Friday in a personal-best 53.09, but could not improve on that effort, false-starting in the consolation finals on Saturday.

Barrington, which missed the championship finals in the 200 free (19th; 1:28.17) and 400 free relays (13th; 3:13.32), took eighth in the 200 medley relay for the second consecutive year. Brian Marko, Justin Yu, Ben Redpath and Nick Santoro finished in 1:37.93 -- just .44 above their time in Friday's preliminaries, when they took 10th.

"It happens," Marko said of missing the top-six cut on Friday. "You just have to go through it. Of course there's disappointment but you've got to throw that aside."

The Broncos, who earned 10 team points in their only event of the afternoon -- the ninth time ('06; 9 points) in the past 10 years they've scored double-digit points at the state meet -- will have Marko and Yu back next season as each will eye a fourth state appearance.

"We've had three years of this," Marko said. "I think we're going to be ready next year."

Santoro and Redpath won't be back, as much as they would like. "It's a lifestyle, swimming is -- I hope to continue it," said Santoro, donning his red-and-white Broncos cap. "It's over but I left with a lot of great memories."

Add Wheeling senior Erik Maczko to that list. The Wildcats' senior capped off his record-setting high school career with an 11th-place finish (52.70) in the 100 fly -- his first state medal after qualifying in the 200 IM and 100 back in each of the past two seasons.

"I would have been happy if I stayed in 12th, this is just a bonus for me," said Maczko, who just missed advancing in the 100 back (tied 13th; 53.39) on Friday. "This is probably the biggest race of my high school career."

At the same time, it's a big loss for the Wildcats' program.

"Erik's basically been the face of Wheeling swimming for the past three years," said Wheeling coach John Fournier. "Most of the kids, when they think about the swim team, they think of Erik Maczko."

And as much as opposing teams will be glad to see this Maczko move on, there's another one coming.

"Erik's dad (Mitch) told me I can't retire from coaching until (Maczko's 11-year-old brother) Bryce comes through," Fournier said with a laugh.