South Elgin’s Hasemann has big day at state
It was a day to remember for South Elgin’s Nick Hasemann, and for that matter, just about anybody in attendance for the boys swimming and diving state preliminaries at New Trier High School on Friday.
Hasemann, a sophomore, turned in lifetime bests in the 100-yard backstroke and 200 freestyles, and will compete in both races in today’s championship session.
He’s got the fourth-fastest qualifying time in the 100 backstroke (51.09), and he had the the day’s seventh-best effort in the 200 freestyle (1:41.68), making him the top qualifier for the consolation finals heat in that race.
“The dreaded seventh spot,” laughed Hasemann. “But that’s OK. I’m real pleased with how things went.”
Though Hasemann doesn’t have any teammates on deck with him, he certainly has plenty of friends, among them sophomore standouts Connor Black (Mundelein) and Andrew Jovanovic (Loyola) as well as Naperville Central junior Sean Lehane.
Hasemann qualified for last year’s state meet but was unable to make the top 12, so Friday’s results were a big step forward.
“I feel a lot more comfortable,” he said. “It helps having gone through it once before, but the main thing is I’m tapered for the meet this year, and last year I wasn’t. My goal going into the meet was to get top six, so I’m right where I wanted to be.”
Cary-Grove sophomore Michael Hamann also earned the opportunity to race again in today’s finals. He earned the 12th and final qualifying spot in the 100 backstroke (52.59).
Jacobs junior Alex Elston delivered a lifetime best in the 100 fly (51.21) and finished 11th for a spot in the consolation finals.
Fox Valley swimmers weren’t the only one turning in lifetime bests.
Four state records were broken, starting with Naperville Central in the medley relay (1:31.68).
Hinsdale Central junior Danny Thomson might have had the swim of the day, lopping more than three seconds off the existing 500 freestyle record with a 4:21.43.
Neuqua Valley senior Kevin Cordes broke the state record in the 100 breaststroke but had very little time to enjoy it. His 54.00 took nearly a second off the existing mark, but in the next heat, Matt Elliott of Peoria Richwoods reclaimed the record with a 53.87.
Earlier, in the 200 IM, Elliott had the top time of 1:48.24, just a tenth of the second off the record set in 2001 by Dan Trupin.
Other top qualifiers included Thomson in the 200 free (1:38.84), Jovanovic in the 50 free (20.68) and 100 fly (49.60), New Trier’s Max Grodecki in the 100 free (45.44), Naperville Central’s Jeff Depew in the 100 back (50.04).
New Trier had the top efforts the 200 free relay (1:23.97) and the 400 free relay (3:04.31) and is well positioned to win the team championship.