Saxons savor second-half surge
Before the season started, Schaumburg coach Tom Gallagher predicted his Saxons would be a team to watch in the season's second half.
He sure seems to have gotten that right.
The Saxons are making gains across the board, and none have been more impressive than those of senior standout Chris Corbett.
Corbett's best race is probably the 100 backstroke, but he's blossoming as an all-around competitor, as evidenced by performances last week in a dual at Elk Grove.
In the 200-yard IM, Corbett finished in 2:00.92. That's well below state qualifying standards and one of the state's best times so far this season.
In the same meet, Corbett led off Schaumburg's 200 free relay with a 22.71 split, putting him among the area's top 50 freestylers.
Perhaps the best news of all is that Corbett has been even-splitting his 100 backstroke, including the season-best 54.5 he produced Dec. 20. That bodes well for the end of the season, when experienced and physically developed swimmers like Corbett tend to suddenly find bursts of pure speed.
While a lack of depth has hurt the Saxons in duals, Gallagher is greatly encouraged by recent performances - including a 23.0 split in the 50 free and a 26.1 split in the 50 fly - that figure to sharply upgrade Schaumburg's sprint relays.
Another senior with state-meet experience, Aaron Johnson, has already been 1:03.25 in the 100 breaststroke and is showing good freestyle sprint speed, too.
After heavy training over the holiday break, the Saxons still managed an incredible 38 lifetime bests at Elk Grove.
Part of the key to Schaumburg's success, Gallagher believes, is the combination of traditional training combined with dryland techniques, including plyometrics, weight training and medicine ball drills. And a little self-confidence never hurts, either.
"It is amazing what great athletes this group is, not just good swimmers," Gallagher said. "So now we have to stay focused, keep the faith, stay healthy - and believe, believe, believe."
Health watch: Who could blame Fremd's Sean Carroo for being concerned about his well-being?
The senior wasn't available for Fremd's early dual against Barrington this season and has missed his last two tapers because of health concerns - most recently, a case of shingles last season.
"I'm playing it safe," he said after the Vikings edged Buffalo Grove last Friday in an MSL dual. "I'm washing my hands. A lot."
And it seems to be working. Carroo had a season-best 57.65 in the 100 backstroke against the Bison.
Schedule watch: Today's matchups include Palatine at Fremd, Hoffman Estates at Conant and Schaumburg at Barrington in the MSL West and Wheeling at Elk Grove and Rolling Meadows vs. Prospect at Wheeling in the East. On Saturday, Barrington joins the always competitive field in the New Trier Relays.