Boys swimming: Curtin leads Stevenson to Lake County championship
According to Stevenson coach Doug Lillydahl, senior Jack Curtin has been “absolutely instrumental” to the recent success of the Patriots boys swim team.
“The thing that is fantastic about Jack is that over the years he has (taken advantage of) the opportunities that have been presented to him,” said Lillydahl. “He's worked his way up through the ranks, and by his junior year he was our number one sub.
“We came to state last year missing one of our athletes, and Jack stepped in for two relays — one which won the state title, and another which got second. He gave us the confidence to pursue our aspirations.”
Curtin did it again Saturday, leading Stevenson to the Lake County Invite championship.
The senior was part of the meet winning 400 free (meet record time 3:09.19) and the 200 medley relay teams at the invitational held at Vernon Hills, and also put forth a strong effort to finish second (47.48) in the individual 100 free.
The Patriots won with a point total of 382. Barrington (201) was runner-up, followed by Vernon Hills at 162.
Curtin swam club for the first time this year, and said that it helped him to “be in shape when the high school season came around,” but added that “swimming for the high school team is a lot more fun.”
“Today in the 100,” Curtin said, “I was planning on going nice and long on the first fifty then coming back fast. That's what I've been working on in practice, and throughout the season that's what I want to do — then at the end of the season come out on the first 50 fast.”
Barrington junior Rylan Anselm won the 200 free with a mark of 1:42.65, and his win came fresh off his participation in the Junior Nationals last weekend in Austin.
“It was outstanding competition,” said Anselm of his Texas trip, “across the board. Olympians from all over the country, just some outstanding kids.”
Anselm said that in Saturday's 200 free “I went out in the first 100 trying to keep my guy at my hip, and then in the third 50 got into my legs, and brought it home on the last 50.”
As far as future goals, the junior is looking forward to continued success in the regular season and the postseason.
“I'd love to get school records in the 200, 500 and even the 100 free, and maybe place high up in the finals (at state) in the 200 and 500.”
Lucas Bucaro of Barrington won the 100 back (52.76); while Colin Zhang of Stevenson took the 200 individual medley at 1:53.65, breaking his own meet record from 2021.
Jonny Farber of the Patriots finished first in the 100 free at 47.04.
Host Vernon Hills was led by Edward Zhao, who was second in the 100 back (53.08) and led his 200 medley relay team to a runner-up placement.
Zhao has been training in the Vernon Hills pool since he was 8 years old, first as a member of Aquatics teams, then as part of the Cougars squad — where he's been on varsity since his freshman season.
“The medley wasn't my best race,” said Zhao. “I slipped at the start, but when I get out swimming in the straightaways I can attack a few people.”
The Stevenson team of Max LaPointe St. Georges, Diego Rosario-Freytes, Farber and David Kohan won the 200 free relay.
Excelling along with Curtin in the other relays were Kohan, Farber and Zhang in the 400 free, and Zhang, Rosario-Freytes, and Michael Wywrocki in the 200 medley.
“We're really excited,” said Curtin of his team's chances this season. “We've got a bunch of new, fast swimmers, and I think we're going to put it all together and be really competitive at the end.”