Coach's Corner: Glenbrook South boys swim team makes a historic splash at state meet
GBS Boys Swimming: Best In State
When I first read it, I did a double-take. Must be a mistake. I read it again and followed with a triple-take.
But there it stood in stark bold words.
Glenbrook South senior Max Iida won the conference meet in the 200 IM by 7 seconds.
Seven seconds?
In the 200?
Unheard of. That kind of margin is literally obliterating the competition. Think Tiger Woods in his prime at the Masters, Simone Biles with a perfect 10 on the floor exercise, Sosa and McGuire on their home run barrage. Or maybe the best description would be when the great Secretariat pulled away down the stretch at the Belmont Stakes, making the rest of the horses look like they were in a slow gallop.
Stunning. Iida won by so much he might have been sitting up on the deck munching on a post-swim sandwich when the next competitor finally touched the finish line.
His time of 1:44.86 was the fastest time ever recorded in Illinois State swimming history. Wow. Double wow when you know the record he beat belonged to his brother, Sam, set in the 2017 state meet.
But, wait, there's more. Max's performance was just the exclamation point (albeit a huge one!) to maybe the best single day of swimming in Glenbrook South's storied history.
They not only easily won the Central Suburban League conference championship meet, which was held at Glenbrook North's pool, but they totaled enough points to be recognized as state champions by the Illinois Swimming and Diving Association.
The performances were not only superlative, but numerous. It all started with the relay team of Iida, Hunter Weisensel, Nick Khatkovyy and Max Rybchuk winning the medley while smashing the meet record and putting up the fastest time recorded in the state this year.
Next up, senior star Sami Moussally took his turn to shine. He broke the conference record and the school record in the 200 free with a time of 1:37.67, the second fastest time in the state.
Moussally did not stop there, as he also won the 100 free, again setting a CSL conference record with a time of 45:01, and recording the second fastest time in the state. Moussally's relentless attack on past norms continued when he combined with Iida, Rybchuk, and Khatkovyy to win the 200 free relay, with this team of four providing the fastest time in the state. Sorry if we are sounding like a broken record here, but they too broke a CSL Conference record!
Hang on, folks, because we're not done yet. Max Iida came back later in the meet to win another individual event in the 100-yard breaststroke in a state record time of 53.29 (yup, conference record as well), and then the Titans capped off the day of superlatives with the relay team of Moussally, Rybchuk, Syphax Raab and Khatkovyy winning the always exciting 400 free relay event and setting a conference record here as well.
In all, the boys won seven events in the meet, and all seven went down as Central Suburban league Conference all-time records.
The depth of the team showed as well with added points and all-conference swims coming from Hunter Weisensel and Syphax Raab, both placing in the top 6 in the 50 free. Syphax also placed in the top 6 in the 100. Nathan Vuong was in the top 6 in the 100 breast
Divers also chipped in with all-conference performances as Nick Tarantino and Mitchell Mortenson ended up 4th and 5th, respectively, in diving.
"An incredible meet," said longtime coach Keith MacDonald. "Credit to all our kids. Max and Sami swam out of their minds, which I knew they had a chance to because they are returning state ranked swimmers, but the other guys really stepped up as well, particularly in the relays."
The event, like so many during the days of COVID was a little surreal. No fans were allowed. Parents, friends and family members had to watch via a video stream from Glenbrook North Pool.
A quiet, empty stands for a conference meet so completely unlike the normal raucous crowd that gathers to cheer on the swimmers, but it gets even stranger.
Because there was no official IHSA state meet this year, the Illinois Swimming and Diving Association would use the times recorded in conference meets to total up their standings in the state.
Glenbrook South ended the day with the most points, ahead of Oak Park River Forest, their closest contender But the celebration as state champions was put on hold. Officials decided that since diving was judged by different judges at each meet, and objectivity was, of course, a factor, that to make things completely fair they would, at a later point, have to have one set of judges watch videos of each diver from around the state and then give out those awards and points.
So, the Titans had to delay their celebration for a full week (even though they knew they had clinched on points) until the official results came out.
Actually, it will amount to a two-week delay, because now that school is on spring break, there is no one around to join in the state champion celebration.
"If a tree falls in the forest, does it make a sound?" joked Coach MacDonald. "Not to worry, once school is back in session next week we will make sure the boys are fully recognized."
School announcements, recognition at halftime of the football game, and a few other things may be planned, but one that is definitely on the docket is a grand tradition of any team's swimming championship.
At some point Monday or Tuesday, the Titans will gather poolside and watch a fully clothed Coach MacDonald take a running start and leap victoriously into the pool, followed closely by assistant coaches and then team members.
It will be a delayed, but nevertheless well deserved, celebration for a simply amazing single day performance and a truly memorable season.
Glenbrook South boys swimming. Best in state. The sound of it is oh-so-sweet.
• Jon Cohn of Glenview is a coach, retired PE teacher, sports official and prep sports fan. To contact him with comments or story ideas, email jcsportsandtees@aol.com.