Smooth sailing for Barrington's Lee
Matt Lee's memorable weekend began with a phone call from his mother Friday afternoon.
An envelope had arrived at home, from the U.S. Naval Academy.
“I didn't want her to open it, and she didn't,” recalled Lee, a senior captain on Barrington's swimming and diving team. “I wanted to do that.”
But he had to first help his Broncos navigate their way to a defeat of Conant Friday evening. The victory avenged a loss to the Cougars early last winter.
Super news awaited Lee after the MSL West dual. He he been accepted by the U.S. Naval Academy. Lee first dreamed of such a day when he was 7 – well after his arm-floatie days in pools.
“I've lived in Mexico, in Taiwan,” Lee said after finishing third in the 50-yard freestyle (22.47) at Saturday's Lake County Invite at Stevenson. “I've wanted, for a long time, to do my part to serve and protect my country.”
Valuable members of the Broncos' varsity crew swam elsewhere Saturday. Barrington coach John Valentine chose to deploy his top freshmen and sophomores at a frosh-soph meet at Buffalo Grove. The Broncos finished sixth (140 points) at Stevenson, without four sophomore standouts (Jack Strauss, Kyle Ujiiye, James Rodney and Chris Vega) and three promising freshmen (Connor Kobida, Sebastian Piekarski and Sam Miseyka).
“This meet is a chance for some of our ‘B' guys on varsity to shine,” Valentine said before the start of the 10-team invite. “Why not give them that chance? And our young guys get to go up against some very good competition at Buffalo Grove.”
Lee also swam on the fourth-place 400 free relay (3:27.91) on Saturday, joining junior Tommy Clement and classmates Alex Anderson and Samuel Howes. The Broncos' 200 free relay of Anderson, junior Leo Hayden and seniors Greg Alexander and Dan Comyn finished third (1:31.16).
Anderson and Comyn are serving as the Broncos' other swim captains.
“Leadership is one our team's strengths,” see Lee, who plays lacrosse in the spring. “All three of us pretty much lead the same way: Our work ethic is louder than our words.”
Barrington junior Nolan Presmyk placed fourth in diving (341.95).
Stevenson successfully defended its County title, scoring 260 points to runner-up Warren's 236. Mundelein finished third (194).