Boys swimming: Cary-Grove, West Chicago finish 1-2 at Buffalo Grove invite

Along with the Bison boys swimming invitational Saturday, Buffalo Grove was also playing host to its inaugural Chicagoland Jazz Workshop.

And according to the flyer notes by BG Instrumental Association co-presidents Colleen Wytmar and Lucy Block, it was the great American musician Herbie Hancock who said that 'jazz is about being in the moment'.

That phrase is certainly relevant to music, and it could also apply to what was transpiring in the BG pool as well - especially for Cary-Grove.

The Trojans were definitely in the moment at BG, winning the meet with a point total of 363.50 among a strong field of 18 teams.

West Chicago (329) was second, with Highland Park finishing third.

"A really great day," said C-G coach Scott Lattyak. "We love this meet, it's always exciting, and always interesting to see what the competition is."

"This tourney lets us see how we stack up against the competition," added the Trojans coach. "We have only so much where we're at, so we like to come closer in to the city to see what we can find."

Cary-Grove was decidedly the Big Band in the invite, and they were led by senior Dexter Zielinski.

Zielinski made some sweet music for the Trojans, and his performance in the 200 medley relay, where he swam the final leg, paced C-G to a victory.

"This is honestly a super fun meet," said Zielenski, a senior. "We were hyped up the entire week in practice, and it's really a great opportunity to swim in a meet like this."

Zielinski swam the 50 free leg in the Trojans 200 medley win.

"Everyone on this team was rocking some really good times," said Zielinski. "We were really pumped."

"I was the anchor (in the 200 medley), so there was a lot of pressure. But I was locked in from the start, I knew my teammates were performing really well, so I knew I just had to send it."

"I had it in my heart that I was going to win it for the team, so I just went out (and did it)."

C-G coach Lattyak agreed with Zielinski, saying that "Dexter has really stepped up in the 50 free and the 100 free."

"He used to be a middle distance 200 free guy," added the coach, "but this year he's focusing on just ripping in the 50 and the 100. He's already made state cut times in the 50 in his club season, we knew he had those, so we've been emphasizing this year in seeing him go straight up on sprinting,"

Drew Watson from Cary-Grove won the 200 individual medley in the time of 1:55.91, while teammate Danial Sanahurskyj took the 100 fly at 50.26.

Other C-G winners were Noah Brereton in the 500 free, teammate Mason Gaylord in the 100 breastroke, and the 400 free relay team of Watson, Brereton, Danial Sanahurskyj and Zielinski in the 400 free relay.

West Chicago enjoyed a stellar day at BG as Brady Johnson (20.94) won the 50 free, and the foursome of Johnson, Ryan Fors, Mason Smith and Sam Ortiz was fastest of all in the 200 free relay.

Johnson also won the 100 backstroke in the time of 49.22.

Mason Gaylord from C-G was the winner of the 100 breaststroke, while Edwin Serrano of Mundelein took home the first place medal in the 200 free at 1:45.39.

"Everyone at this meet is just so fast," said Serrano, a senior. "I love seeing the top teams and the top guys out here, it's just so much fun racing them."

In the 200 free, Serrano said that, "I just wanted to hold a pace in the first 100, and then just build on my third 50. That's what I have the most trouble on, so I wanted to build from there and see how I felt off the wall."

"Everyone was just so fast, everyone was going 46 on top on one another. I was a little nervous, but in a good way. It was a really good race."