Speed rules the day at Barrington sectional

Saturday's boys swimming sectional meet at Barrington had everything you'd expect at such an event.

A charged atmosphere. Very little body hair.

That unique sound only a parent can make - kind of a cross between a scream and a croak - as their son attempts to qualify for next week's state meet, which will be held at New Trier High School in Winnetka next weekend.

And fast swimming. Lots and lots of it.

Barrington led the way from a team standpoint, winning with 264.5 points, and Fremd was close behind in second at 252.5. Both Barrington and Fremd advanced all three relays and virtually everyone they'd expected to send along as individuals.

"We were good last week, and a little better this week," said Barrington coach Jim Bart. "We're right where we need to be."

The Broncos' medley relay won in 1:37.68, and their 200 free relay won in a sectional record 1:27.18. A special treat for Bart was seeing his 400 free relay - without standout Justin Yu - also make it to state.

Yu placed third in the 100 free and second in the 100 breaststroke, qualifying for the state meet easily in both along with legs on the 200 medley and 200 free relays. Ditto for Brian Marko in the 100 fly (second) and 100 back (tied second), and Greg Alexander (200 IM, fourth) and 100 breaststroke (1:01.61). Eric Clement won the 50 free (21.40) and had legs on all three relays, and Dan Comyn advanced in the 50 (22.18).

Fremd took a big step forward across the board. Junior Sean Gonzalez helped the Vikings off to a good start by winning the 200 free in 1:46.59, and there wasn't much of a letdown after that. Varun Shivakumar remains on track for a great showing at the state meet after winning the 200 IM (1:58.58) and the 100 backstroke (52.64, a sectional record).

Senior Brent Caras tied for third place with Conant's Ryan Chiero in the 50 free in a qualifying time of 21.99, and Vikings sophomore Jeff Freund won the 500 free in 4:51.52 to automatically advance. Perhaps most importantly, senior Sam Childs had excellent performances, including a 46.3 split to anchor the 400 free relay. Childs also advanced in the 100 free with a second-place effort of 47.28.

"Today was fun," said Fremd coach Nicole LaBeau. "It's just real rewarding to have everybody feel good about where we are right now."

Schaumburg also excelled. Senior Chris Corbett advanced in both the 200 IM and 100 backstroke in solid performances, and his efforts were central to the Saxons' state-qualifying efforts in both the 200 medley and 200 freestyle relays. Another Saxons senior, Aaron Johnson, qualified in the 100 breastroke and as part of the 200 free relay.

As noteworthy as all that for the Saxons were huge drops across the board from swimmers like Ben Epperly, Eddie Walsh, Anthony Darovec and Mike Kehoe.

"A great day for us," said Schaumburg coach Tom Gallagher, whose team finished at 142.5 with fourth place, just ahead of Conant in fifth at 119.5. "These guys put in the work, and here's the reward."

The reward was there, too, for Buffalo Grove's Brad Lotzer, who narrowly missed the state cut in the 200 free but later made it in the 100 free as the last of six qualifiers in 48.58, a school record.

"I think sometimes you break through and get to the next level, and I think that's what Brad did," said BG coach Jamie Klotz. "He was really excited, and he should be. A guy like him needs to get into the fast heat and race, and now he's done that."

Rolling Meadows' A.J. Adams also made state in the 100 free, edging Lotzer in 48.54, and in the 50 free as well, where he was fifth in 22.16.

Conant has a pair of individual qualifers - Chiero in the 100 free (48.38) and the 50 and Jake Jeske in the 100 breaststroke (1:01.52).

"It feels great to see them achieve what we thought they could," said Conant coach Brian Drenth. "I'm just really happy for them."

Cary-Grove co-op senior Brent Curtis came through with victories in the 100 free (47.23) and 100 breaststroke (59.83), and senior Michael Kinross advanced to state in both the 200 IM (1:59.67, second) and the 100 fly (52.29, first). And the medley relay of Edward Griswold, Curtis, Kinross and Christian Weber finished second in a state-qualifying 1:39.42 as the team finished third with 150 points.

"We swam a lot of young kids in this meet," said District 155 coach Jim Andriakos. "After Brent and Michael, we've got a bunch of younger, developing swimmers.

"It was a really strong day for us. We had just about all best times, and our main kids will get to race again."

It wasn't so much fun for Jacobs co-op coach Rick Andresen. Though senior Nick Pankau finished in 1:01.66 to advance to state in the 100 breaststroke, his teammate Sean Kelly wasn't able to race.

"He tried to battle it, but he just woke up sick as a dog today," said Andresen. "There's not much to say except it's just a big shame for him."

Lake Zurich senior Thomas McAndrews advanced in the 50 free, where he placed second in 21.98.

Palatine's Ian McNair excelled in diving, winning with 420.30. Among those who are strong candidates for at-large state qualification are Fremd's Evan Ruggiero (394.45), Barrington's Tim Karsten (394.30), Fremd's Brandon Trostrud (391.80) and Conant's Nick Rizza (359.05).

at Glenbrook North: Prospect's 200 medley relay will compete at the state meet, the Knights' first relay since the 1999 season.

Charlie Mau also advanced and will race in the 100 butterfly, where he placed third in 53.37. Maine West's Pat Cullen also advanced in that race, placing second in 52.96.

And for the second straight year, both senior Andrew Bowman ((1:01.89) and junior Tyler Bengtsen (1:01.71) of Prospect will race in the 100 breastroke.

Coach Dick Mortensen's team placed fourth in the team race behind Loyola, Glenbrook South and Glenbrook North.