Welcome to the FMC Natatorium the site of the 2022 boys state swimming meet. Naperville Central Waubonsie, Metea and sectional champs Neuqua Valley all have swimmers looking for top times in the water. Saint Charles North comes in as back to back state champs and is hoping to bring home a third consecutive trophy. This highlight is sponsored by BMO Harris Bank.
200 Yard Medley Relay
Let’s go racing boys starting with the 200 yard medley relay. In the first heat Naperville Centrals group is looking to make a big splash in the last meet of the season. Despite the second place finish behind Cary Grove’s group the Redhawks finds themselves in an eighth place spot overall. In the second go around we got Waubonsie’s group of Arnav Deshpande, Ethan Huynh, Nathaniel Jefferson and Sam Lohman. A tight one to start it off but in the end it’s Stevenson’s group of Colin Zhang, David Kohan, Josh Song, and Michael Wywrocki coming on top overall. Waubonsie finishes in fourth.
200 Yard Freestyle
Staying with 200 this time in the freestyle. Neuqua’s Aiden Dunn won this race in the sectional and wants to do it again. Although Fenwick’s Mike Flynn is the one hitting the cruise control button winning the race just ahead of Champaign Central’s Nolan Miller. Dunn finishes in fourth.
100 Yard Freestyle
We drop down to the 100 yard freestyle. It’s a race featuring Waubonsie Valley’s Arnav Deshpande facing some of the best competition in the state. In a neck and neck affair Connor Groya from York is touching the wall first just two tenth’s of a second ahead of Taylor Camden from Rockford East. Desphande takes the fourth place finish.
500 Yard Freestyle
To the longest of the day the 500 yard free. New Trier’s Wilson Ward wins the first heat and Neuqua’s Alex Parkinson is able to grab the eleven overall which is good for a State medal. His teammate Aiden Dunn jumps into the second part of the longest event. We got a pack of wolves at the beginning but in the end it’s Mike Flynn again letting everyone eat his bubbles. Dunn’s third place finish is the best on the day for Neuqua Valley and records a new team record with a time of four twenty nine fifty one.
100 Yard Backstroke
No surprise that Arnav Deshpande is the top swimmer on the day for the Warriors. No lead is safe in the 100 yard backstroke until the very end as Barrington’s Griffin O’Leary hits the wall at 47 seconds. Deshpande comes in second but his time of forty eight point eight three is a new school record. What a way to go out.
100 Yard Breaststroke
First race in the 100 yard breaststroke has Naperville Central’s Alex Lakin and Waubonsie’s Keian Lam. Lakin finishes in eighth overall and while Lam concludes in eleventh and it results with both getting state medals. In the next breaststroke we have Metea’s Jaeddan Gamilla hoping for a top time. He doesn’t get the top spot but gets a third place spot with a time of fifty five point three five. Stevenson’s Colin Zhang comes in first and that’s pivotal as many top five finishes for the Patriots help them capture the swimming state title ahead of Hinsdale Central and Lyons Township with one hundred and sixty seven points. Waubonsie Valley finishes in ninth with Neuqua coming in eleventh.
For more prep sports highlights, visit the Naperville Sports Weekly page!
