Metea Valley repeats as UEC champion
The Metea Valley boys swimming team defended its Upstate Eight Conference title Saturday during a day of domination by the District 204 schools.
The Mustangs finished with 272 points. Host Waubonsie Valley was second at 242, and Neuqua Valley third with 232.
"It's great. We've been a school for six years and have two conference championships. That's something," said senior Jordan O'Brien, who won the 200-yard individual medley.
Besides O'Brien's victory, the Mustangs won four other individual championships and a relay.
Senior Matt Salerno defended his UEC title in the 50 freestyle and won the 100 breaststroke, edging O'Brien 58.15 seconds to 59.10.
"This solidifies our future when sectionals and state roll around," Salerno said. "I'm really happy with how I swam. But I'm happy with how everyone swam," he said.
Salerno finished third in the 50 freestyle at state last year. O'Brien was fourth in the 200 IM, and the Mustangs finished sixth overall.
Alex Dillman won the 500 freestyle and had his sights on the long-time Waubonsie pool record. His time of 4:44.01 was just over an eight-second time drop off his seed time.
"My coach said to lengthen my stroke," he said of his time drop. "I was actually going for the pool record. I haven't been feeling good. And I wasn't expecting to do it. But it's a 31-year-old record and it would have been cool to break. I got close," Dillman said.
Other Metea wins came from the 200 medley relay of Connor Mitsch, O'Brien, Michael Chan and Salerno. Connor Cast won the diving competition.
The three District 204 schools compete next Feb. 21 in the Neuqua Valley sectional.
"Now it's just resting and fine-tune the little things and get mentally prepared for sectionals and state. But they've been through it before," said Mustangs coach Mark Jager.
Waubonsie won one individual title and two relays. Taggart Lohman won the 100 butterfly. His time of 51.43 was just more than three seconds faster than his seed time.
"I've been kicking a lot. I hurt my shoulder early in the season and my work underwater caused a lot of the time drop," Lohman said of his first varsity conference title. "It's exciting. I was definitely not expecting it. I'm not tapered."
The two relay victories came from the 200 freestyle relay of Bradin Krug, Ethan Morse, Michael Schwers and Eric Weng and the 400 freestyle of Schwers, Reilly Devine, Krug and Weng. The 200 freestyle relay's time of 1:27.14 broke a 20-year-old pool record.
"I was pleased with our performance. The tapered group of guys swam great," said Waubonsie coach Nick Arens. "We have to work on little things (over the next two weeks). We have to swim smart and not just swim strong if we want to reach our goals."
Joe Widuch won the 100 backstroke for Neuqua and likely finished his senior season in the event.
"I thought it was a good performance. But it looks like I probably won't be swimming it at sectionals. I've enjoyed swimming the backstroke the past four years," he said. "But I will probably swimming the 100 butterfly and competing in the three relays and I'm happy about that."
As for the St. Charles schools, St. Charles North finished fourth with 194 points. St. Charles East was fifth at 166.
St. Charles North's Joseph Myhre won two events - the 100 and 200 freestyles. He finished the 100 in 46.78 and the 200 in 1:43.72.
"I'm happy with both my times. They were good drops from my seeds. But I just want to win and score points for the team," Myhre said. "I was really excited (before the meet). Not so much nervous. I was very confident."
St. Charles East hosts a Feb. 21 sectional that includes St. Charles North, Bartlett/Streamwood, Elgin, South Elgin and West Chicago.