Plenty of smiles among Mundelein relay quartet

For the last two years, the Mundelein boys 200-yard freestyle relay missed qualifying for the state meet by about 1/100th of a second.

Once again, it came down to fractions of a second Saturday during the IHSA sectional meet at Vernon Hills.

This time, the Mustangs could smile after looking at the clock.

Or at least Pat Falconer, Will Davidson, Ricky Lukacs and Kevin Coughlin could. Coach Rachel Abel misread Mundelein's time of 1:29.82 when it was first posted. The state cut is 1:29.84.

"It didn't compute in my head that we actually made it," Abel said with a smile. "Everyone knew we made it except for me."

Lake Forest's overall depth propelled the Scouts (277) to the sectional title.

Libertyville (253), the regular-season North Suburban Conference champion, finished second. Stevenson (243 points) and Mundelein (161 points) were third and fourth, respectively.

Mundelein's 400-yard freestyle relay, consisting of Falconer, Lukacs, Coughlin and Zach Purol, also will be swimming at state (3:15.45.)

Coughlin qualified in the 50 freestyle with a third-place time of 21.88. He also will swim the 100 freestyle, following a second-place showing (47.40).

Coughlin was thrilled to be feeling 100 percent. He was ill last year at this time and not at his best.

"He told me he was going to swim fast," Abel said.

Falconer easily qualified in the 200 freestyle (1:42.74). Lake Forest's Mitch Stoehr set a pool record (1:42.09). Falconer also will swim the 100 freestyle (48.20) at the state meet.

"All the coaches ask me when he's going to stop improving," Abel said. "His improvement is nonstop.

Libertyville will be well-represented at state.

"For the most part, the kids had their fastest swims," said Wildcats coach Chris Wetteland. "You want to make sure they're swimming their fastest on the last day."

Libertyville had great success in the relays, led by a first-place showing in the 200 individual medley.

Ben Glick, Danny LeJeune, Kegan Rogers, and Stevie Wimmer swam 1:38.64, to hold off second-place Lake Forest (1:39.04). The Wildcats also qualified relay teams in the 200 and 400 freestyle.

Glick qualified for state in the 200 freestyle (1:45.15) and the 500 freestyle (4:48.02). Rogers will join him in the 200 freestyle (1:46.51) and will also swim the 100 butterfly. Rogers placed first in this event (52.46).

Wimmer also advanced in two events. He will swim the 100 butterfly (53.47) and the 50 freestyle (22.13). Teammate John Blankenhorn (21.97) finished fourth and also will swim at state.

Libertyville's Austin Hoover (1:02.47) came agonizingly close to the state cut (1:02.46) in the 100 breaststroke.

"I've never had someone not make it by 1/100th of a second," Wetteland said. "That's a tough one. He went after it and swam his fastest time of the season. He did everything he needed to do."

As expected, Stevenson senior Duncan Partridge came in first in the 50 freestyle (21.29) and the 100 freestyle (47.18). Partridge said his best swim came in the anchor leg of the 400 freestyle relay.

Stevenson's state-qualifying relay (3:12.84) was second, just behind Lake Forest (3:11.78).

"Lake Forest swam hard and deserved that one, but I thought we swam great," Partridge said. "We were able to drop time from conference."

Partridge, Jamie Clark, Greg Spigelman and Matt Duncan won the 200 freestyle relay in a state qualifying time of 1:27.58. Stevenson's other individual qualifiers were Josh Hodges (53.26) and Duncan in the 100 fly (53.60) and Jamie Clark in the 50 freestyle (22.06).

Warren senior Kirk Gagliardo qualified in the 50 freestyle (21.83) and the 100 butterfly (53.11). Gagliardo's best performance may have been in the relays. He set school records with his legs in the 200 freestyle relay (21.72) and 400 freestyle relay (47.28).

"He went out a little fast in his individual events," Rogers said. "We talked about going out more controlled and he threw up two lifetimes bests."

Mike Schock's performance in the 100 butterfly (59.83) was a highlight for Vernon Hills.

"He'd been on a plateau for awhile, and I told him to stay patient," said Cougars coach Kedric Greenawalt. "It was great to see him break one minute."

Stevenson's Matt Stiefel (373.65 points) finished third in diving. He will be joined at state by teammate Carl Best (306.15). Libertyville's Teddy Kelley was fifth (355.05). Deerfield's Merrick Hiton (376.75) won the competition.