Boys swimming and diving: St. Charles North's Myhre in a top position again
St. Charles North junior Will Myhre has been through this drill before, and he'd sure like to change the outcome this time around.
The last two seasons, he's been the top qualifier for the championship session of the boys swimming state meet in his best event, the 100-yard breaststroke. And twice he's finished second - both times to New Trier's Charlie Scheinfeld.
In Friday's state preliminaries at Evanston Township High School, they've flipped positions.
Scheinfeld is the top seed in the breaststroke at 53.50. Myhre is second at 54.73.
In the 200 IM, the same two tied for the second-best qualifying time, 1:50.34.
North Stars coach Rob Rooney couldn't be more pleased - not only with Myrhe's efforts, but with how his generally young team competed so far on the final weekend of the season.
"We have six young men here who have really embraced the challenge of being successful at this level," said Rooney. "I'm stoked for them."
Even a couple of near misses near meet's end didn't take the luster off a performance that has St. Charles North locked into plenty of points.
The Stars' medley relay of Srboljub Filipovic, Myhre, Nathaniel Baxter and Brad Whitehurst qualified third in 1:31.90. The same four will race in the consolation heat of the 200 free relay after qualifying eighth in 1:25.15.
Another big highlight for Rooney's crew: the 500 free. Whitehurst, a junior, and sophomore Ricky Williams both came up with lifetime bests and earned spots in the consolation finals.
"I'm happy for those two, because they really push one another in practice," Rooney said.
St. Charles East, in coach Adam Musial's first year, will also have plenty of action on Saturday.
The 400 free relay of Matt Nagler, Kyle Lewarchick, Mitchell Milosch and Garrett Prybell qualified eighth in 3:08.76. In the 200 free relay, Austin Cabel, Harrison Hollman, Lewarchick and Milosch was 10th-best in 1:25.61, and the all-senior medley of Hollman, Kyle Izzo, Lewarchick and Milosch was the best of the bunch, qualifying seventh in 1:33.42.
Milosch earned a spot in the championship heat of the 100 backstroke, qualifying fifth in 50.55, and sophomore diver Joey Scimeca is poised to contribute points after making it through the semifinals in sixth place.
Marmion Academy coach Bill Schalz has a double individual finalist in senior Will Kamps.
The day started great for Kamps - with a top qualification in the 200 IM (1:50.15). A nice bonus for him was grabbing the final championship spot in the 500 free (sixth, 4:30.24).
"It wasn't a perfect day for us by any stretch," said Schalz. "We had a couple of mistakes on the medley relay, but we get another chance to work on those. And definitely some good swims throughout the day."
That would include the efforts of senior Sam Wehrli, who dropped nearly a half-second from his seed to earn the No. 8 time in the 50 free (21.13).
That Marmion medley of Wehrli, Ty Spillane, Nolan Fergus and Gary Rockwood snuck in at No. 12 (1:35.12). The 200 free relay of Wehrli, Kamps, Nolan Fergus and Henry Bliss is seventh (1:25.00).
Fergus, a junior, had a terrific effort to qualify 10th in the 100 fly (50.18).
And the Cadets may have saved their best for last with the 400 free relay, as Kamps, Wehrli, Fergus and Rockwood qualified fourth at 3:05.33.
"We've got a senior-dominated team," said Schalz, "and I think they're looking forward to getting back here tomorrow."
The prelim sessions featured three state records.
New Trier's medley relay got things started by finishing in 1:29.53.
Lyons senior Spencer Walker lowered the 100 back standard to 47.22, and New Trier senior Charlie Scheinfeld set the mark in the 100 breaststroke at 53.60.
In the team race, New Trier had a strong day all the way around and is poised to earn the championship. All three of its relays qualified into the top six, and the medley and 400 free relays are the top seeds.
The meet resumes with the championship session at 11 a.m. Saturday.