As good as it gets for Neuqua Valley

After the first event of Saturday's sectional, you just knew it was going to be a big day for the host Neuqua Valley boys swimming team.

The defending state champion's 200 medley relay team started the day with a pool record 1:33.32, one of the fastest times ever in Illinois.

The Wildcats then qualified two swimmers in every individual race, one diver and all three relays on the way to winning the Neuqua Valley sectional with 327 points to 278 for Naperville Central, which was almost as successful.

"Getting all 16 swims through is very rare," said Neuqua Valley coach Chad Allen. "I thought we would get 11 or 12 through, but the guys swam beyond my expectations."

Grant Betulius, Kevin Cordes, Mike Lehman and Kevin Overholt turned in that medley relay historic performance, shattering the Neuqua pool record by more than two seconds.

"We wanted to get out there and make a statement, and I think we did," Overholt said. "All the guys in the relays had unbelievable splits. We wanted everyone to qualify and everyone did. I can't wait to see what we can do next week when everyone is rested."

Overholt combined with Hans Peters, Ryan Jadwin and Andrew Bratsos to win the 400 free relay in 3:08.93.

Naperville Central's Chris Canene, Mark Menis, Danny Tucker and Matt O'Brien took home first prize in the 200 free relay with a time of 1:26.28 and the Wildcats (Bratsos, Jadwin, Lehman and Peters) finished second.

But talk of the relays only begins to tell the story of the Wildcats' achievements at the sectional meet.

Overholt and Peters finished 1-2 in both the 200 and the 100 freestyle races, while Jadwin and Bratsos were first and second in the 100 butterfly.

Cordes won the 100 breaststroke and Brien Gerber finished fourth, while Lehman won the 50 freestyle and Jadwin was fifth.

Betulius and Conner Jager finished second and fourth in the 100 backstroke and if there was one mild surprise on the day it was the second- and third-place finishes of Jager and Andrew Quinn in the 500

"Andrew and I wanted to take it out easy and just go as fast as we could," Jager said. "And then we tried to hold it together at the end. Right now, we're just happy we made state, but we're hoping to score next week.'

"We thought the 500 was going to be one of the toughest events for us," Allen said. "But those guys wanted it very bad. They needed nine seconds to make the state cut and they both dropped more than 13."

And to put the icing on the cake, Ted Wagner qualified for state by finishing second to Naperville Central's Mike Greco in diving.

Naperville Central also established itself as a contender for state by qualifying all three relays and 15 individual swims.

"Our depth helps because we're always pushing each other in practice," said Ben Reasons, who qualified in both the 100 free and the 100 breaststroke. "We work so hard that when we get to the meet it's just like another sprint set."

Naperville North, which was third with 235 points, qualified all three relays and nine individual swims including Will Heidler, who won the sectional championship in both the 200 IM and the 100 backstroke, and freshman Kevin Butz, who was first in the 500 freestyle.

Waubonsie Valley was fourth with 177 points. The Warriors qualified two relays and senior mainstays Jack Poletto and Jim Zuponeck in two events apiece.