Partridge, Patriots ready to perform
The week leading into Friday's boys swimming and diving state championships was rather nerve-wracking for Stevenson senior Duncan Partridge.
It wasn't that the Iowa-bound senior wasn't accustomed to swimming and competing under the state meet spotlight. Instead, Partridge was nervous about his four events and getting into Saturday's finals.
It's likely that the nerves will be gone during today's finals as Partridge qualified for the finals or consolation finals in all four events during preliminary competition Friday at Evanston High School.
"I was excited and nervous all week," Partridge said. "I get to race one more time and in big races tomorrow, so I am excited again."
Partridge earned his first ticket into the state finals in the event in which he was seeded first -- the 50 freestyle. Though the race did not play out as he'd hoped, Partridge still had enough to come back and win his heat. His time of 21.00 tied a school record he established earlier in the year.
"I didn't get out like I wanted," Partridge said of the 50. "Tomorrow I want to come out swinging."
In the finals, Partridge will see two-time defending state champion in the event Brian Alden of Neuqua Valley. Alden broke the pool record at Evanston, winning his heat in 20.16. Alden will also see Partridge in the finals of the 100 freestyle.
Partridge won his heat in 46.53 and finished fourth overall.
"I figured I would go faster now that I am tapered," Partridge said. "But I will be ready for tomorrow."
Partridge will have a few members of the Patriots swim team joining him in the consolation finals. The Stevenson 200 and 400 freestyle relays both qualified, though the 400 tough to watch for coach Susan Whitehouse.
"I think we felt like we were close," Whitehouse said. "But to see us end up 12th -- it's good enough to get in and we get to swim tomorrow so it's a great thing."
The 400 relay team of Jamie Clark, Matt Duncan, Ty Kuper and Partridge were almost a second slower than their seed time, but the 3:13.28 clocking proved good enough for a date in the consolation finals.
Clark, Duncan, Partridge and Matt Spigelman teamed to finish 10th in the 200 free relay. In that race, the Patriots improved by a full second, racing to a time of 1:26.70.
"I am glad that those guys get to swim again," Partridge said. "they worked hard and they deserve to be there."
Mundelein senior Kevin Coughlin knows a little about awaiting his swimming fate. After finishing third in his heat, Coughlin had to wait through one more race to see if he would get a chance in Saturday's finals. After the final heat of the 100 free completed, Coughlin waited only a few moments before he found out that he will get to race on Saturday for the first time. His 47.68 clocking was good enough for 10th overall. Coughlin benefitted from a near record-setting performance by Alden. Alden raced to within a whisker of the 2002 state record set by Matt Grevers of Lake Forest (44.20) winning in 44.65.
"When I finished my race I didn't think I got in," Coughlin said. "But when I realized I got in then I started thinking about what (Aaron) Slattery did last year when he finished seventh."
Kirk Gagliardo of Warren will also race in the state finals after setting school records in the 50 freestyle and the 100 butterfly on Friday. Gagliardo finished third in his heat, but because the times in his heat were so fast, his 21.15 effort was good enough for eighth overall and a trip to the state finals.
Though the butterfly effort of 52.34 was a new school mark, it was good enough for only 15th overall.
"I really couldn't ask for much more than this today," Gagliardo said. "If you look at the times of some of the other guys in the 50 they aren't that far apart which shows that I can swim with these other guys -- that we aren't that far apart."
Unfortunately, that is where the good news ended for the area qualifiers. Libertyville had a rough day to say the least, failing to advance a qualifier into the finals. The Wildcats' hard luck day ended in an event they figured to make the finals in. but the team of Ben Glick, Kegan Rogers, Steve Wimmer and John Blankenhorn finished out of contention in 17th place.
Glick had to top individual effort for the Wildcats finishing 16th in the 500 freestyle (4:44.59). Patrick Falconer of Mundelein was also a near miss in the 200 freestyle, finishing 15th -- less than a second out of the 12th spot.
Neuqua Valley is in prime position for its first state swimming title in the school's history after solid performances all around the pool Friday. Led by Alden and junior Kevin Overholt, the Wildcats qualified seven individuals and three relays into the finals. Marmion Academy and two-time defending state champion New Trier will battle the Wildcats for the team crown.