Curtis, Kinross lead C-G to best-ever finish at state
Another day, another quantum leap forward for swimming in Illinois.
Five more state records fell at New Trier on Saturday, raising the meet's grand total to seven and cementing it as the fastest on record, by far.
Neuqua Valley senior Kevin Overholt started the onslaught by winning the 200-yard freestyle in 1:37.24, breaking the mark set by Lake Forest's Erik Maurer in 1989.
Next was Downers Grove North senior Burke Sims, who finished in 4:24.74 to break Brian Gunn's mark, also from 1989.
Two records that had been established in Friday's prelims were quickly updated - Overholt broke his own record in the 100 free by winning in 44.06, and Glenbrook South's 200 free relay improved upon the national record it had set Friday by winning in 1:22.15.
And finally, New Trier, to punctuate its state title, won the 400 free relay in 3:02.24, more than 11/2 seconds ahead of Lake Forest's time in 2003.
The host Trevians finished with 165.5 points to top second-place Neuqua Valley (127) and third-place Glenbrook South (115).
Cary-Grove had a finish to remember, too. The District 155 co-op team led by coach Jim Andriakos finished with 13 points, tied for 27th place. That's the program's highest finish, and it came as the result of two swims by senior Brent Curtis and one from senior Michael Kinross.
Curtis started his day with a time of 45.66 in the 100 free, almost seventh-tenths of a second faster than his qualifying effort Friday and good for fourth place in a heat that featured a state record by Kevin Overholt. The fourth-place individual finish is the best Cary-Grove has attained at a swimming state meet.
"I still don't think he really knows how good he is," said Andriakos. "We really thought he could get into the 45s, that was always the goal."
Mission accomplished.
"It feels great," said Curtis, who attends Crystal Lake South. "All the way around, it was a better swim than Friday."
The Indiana-bound senior later finished his career with a 12th-place finish in the 100 breaststroke.
Though Curtis is frequently dwarfed by his sprinting competitors, Andriakos long ago learned to ignore such trivial considerations.
"It's like that saying, 'It's not the size of the dog in the fight, it's the size of the fight in the dog.' I'd put my money on Brent every time."
Kinross produced his finest high school effort in his final race, the 100 fly. He finished in 50.91, a liftetime best and just a couple of tenths of a second away from automatic All-American status.
Bound for Eastern Michigan, Kinross can look back on a high school career that helped Cary-Grove to its best-ever season.
"For me, the goal was always to get into the top 12," Kinross said. "It feels amazing."
And Andriakos is grateful to have had both Curtis and Kinross as competitors who have made a difference, both this year and probably beyond.
"When I decided to take this job, I knew I was going to have to have leaders for the program to be successful," the coach said. "I talked to Brent and Michael and told them, 'I'm counting on you.' They came through."