By TR HARLAN

Sectional record … Sectional record … Two qualifiers for state … Sectional record … Sectional record … you get the idea.

The Chesterton boys swim team racked up its 10th consecutive Sectional title with 383 points as they blew past second place Michigan City (186) and Valparaiso (182 1¦2).

“Wow, did the kids respond,” Chesterton coach Kevin Kinel said. “They really came through. We swam great and in a slow pool.”

The Trojans shattered seven Sectional records en route to the victory, but didn’t do it without some adversity.

In the meet’s opening event, the quartet of Adam Thileing, Albert Miller, Kyle Whitaker and Tyler Fozkos finished the 200 Medley Relay in 1:35.41, two seconds better than their Sectional record set in the prelims on Thursday.

Miller, swimming the breaststroke leg, had his goggles fall from his eyes during the race and survived anyway.

“It threw me off a bit,” Miller said. “They flipped off down on my mouth and when they flipped back up they were full of water. I couldn’t see anything.

“I had a terrible turn, but we got through it.”

Junior Bill Bass followed that up with a 1:42.01 swim in the 200 Free for another record even in a pair of long pants for the first time since he was 11 years old.

“I swam in the long pants because Coach said I might at State next weekend,” Bass said. “Last time I did that I was 11 and I swam horrible. I haven’t done it since. But, it felt pretty good today.”

Senior Greg Franzen just missed the state cut with his second place swim of 1:45.30, but he did earn a call back and will swim in the IU Natatorium in Indianapolis next weekend.

“It was impressive swimming today,” Kinel said. “We had some second guys set themselves up to possibly final next weekend. “We had some kids that were sick and we had some mishaps today. But, I’m really excited.”

When the 200 IM hit the wall, sophomore Kyle Whitaker (1:51.43) and Miller (1:53.51) both had beat the Sectional record.

“We won that first relay and then I won the 200,” Bass said. “Kyle and Albert went 1-2 (in the IM) and we just kept going from there. We just took it one race at a time.

“We knew we had a chance at some records and everybody just swam great. It was fun.”

Freshman Tyler Fozkos picked up a great win in the 50 Free (21.43) by out-touching Wheeler’s Victor Sikorski.

“We still have a lot of guys that are unshaved and we have some big time drops left,” Kinel said. “Going from this pool to the Natatorium is like going from a Volvo to a Mercedes.”

The break for diving didn’t stop the momentum of the Trojans either. Whitaker (50.03) and Thieling (51.58) both broke the Sectional record in the 100 Fly in qualifying for the State Finals.

“Everybody stepped up huge today,” Miller said of his teammates. “It was an amazing meet by everyone. I think it’s even better than we thought it would be. It was great.

“Our second and third line guys stepped up even more than we though they would.”

Franzen and Fozkos finished 2-3 in the 100 Free. Franzen beat the State Cut (48.05), while Fozkos’ 48.40 got a call back.

Bass won the 500 Free and then anchored the 200 Free Relay with teammates Fozkos, Matt Rosiecki and Franzen to set another Sectional Record (1:27.32).

“I knew coming in this meet would be a real race for second with Valpo, Portage and Michigan City and I think that helped us by making the whole environment more exciting,” Kinel said. “Being able to go after so many Sectional records certainly helped too.”

Miller and Thieling went 1-2 in the backstroke, but that was just the beginning of the story. On approaching the podium, they were awarded their ribbons by former Chesterton swimmer Zach Hall, now the head coach at Valparaiso.

“When I was little, Zach Hall was my idol,” Miller said. “He had that record and every year he asks me if I’m going to break it. This year that was my goal and it was nice to get it.”

Hall was named Sectional Coach of the Year as well.

In the breaststroke, Matt Rosiecki (1:00.09) and Sean Swibes (1:00.34) finished 2-3. Rosiecki hit the State Cut, while Swibes earned a call back.

“Hopefully, this gives them even more confidence going into next weekend,” Kinel said. “We’ll need everyone to swim great and score points for us.”

The final event of the day was another record, but not without its own adversity.

Swimming the final leg of the 400 Free Relay, Bass lost his goggles just like Miller had done in the opening event of the day.

“It was loose and they just fell off,” Bass said. “Sometimes I swim in practice without them, so it wasn’t that big a deal. I ripped them off at the turn.

“They kind of got in my mouth, so I couldn’t breathe real well. Other that that, no big deal.”

“Billy is something else,” Miller said. “He swims without goggles in practice sometimes. It just doesn’t bother him too much. He’s prepared for that stuff.”

The Trojans, who are currently ranked No. 1 in the State with Hamilton Southeastern, have set themselves up for a chance at the school’s first State Title.

“Going into this I thought we could,” Kinel said. “We certainly have a chance. I think it’s a legitimate possibility.”

And the guys in the pool, like Miller and Bass, agree with their coach.

“I think judging by today’s performance, we have a legitimate chance. We’ve got guys we may not have expected to be there that can score points for us now.”

“We are definitely looking forward to taking a shot at it,” Bass said. “We swam great today and should be even better next weekend.”

Team Results

1. Chesterton, 383; 2. Michigan City, 186; 3. Valparaiso, 182 1¦2; 4. Portage, 160 1¦2; 5. Merrillville, 126; 6. LaPorte, 99; 7. Wheeler, 92; 8. Andrean, 45; 9. Hobart, 44; 10. Knox, 23.

Individual Results

(Champions and State Cut times

advance to State Finals)

200 Medley Relay – 1. Chesterton (Adam Thieling, Albert Miller, Kyle Whitaker, Tyler Fozkos), 1:35.41 (SECTIONAL RECORD); 2. Michigan City, 1:39.15 (STATE CUT); 3. Valparaiso, 1:49.09; 4. Portage, 1:50.65; 5. Hobart, 1:51.48; 6. Merrillville, 1:51.88.

200 Free – 1. Bill Bass (C), 1:42.01 (SECTIONAL RECORD); 2. Greg Franzen (C), 1:45.30; 3. Ethan Hall (C), 1:48.61; 4. Aaron Redfield (A), 1:50.27; 5. Benjamin Shuta (V), 1:50.72; 6. Jacob Pavel (M), 1:51.62.

200 IM – 1. Kyle Whitaker (C), 1:51.43 (SECTIONAL RECORD); 2. Albert Miller (C), 1:53.51 (STATE CUT); 3. Cameron Miller (MC), 1:59.02; 4. Taylor Zakhar (C), 2:07.80; 5. Ryan Letts (L), 2:07.96; 6. Evan Dominguez (P), 2:10.37.

50 Free – 1. Tyler Fozkos (C), 21.43; 2. Victor Sikorski (W), 21.45; 3. Christopher Kermin (L), 22.19; 4. Matt Rosiecki (C), 22.24; 5. Joseph Cogswell (MC), 23.10; 6. Ian Moore (V), 23.14.

1-Meter Diving – 1. Alec Back (P), 415.40; 2. Brody Carter (V), 401.70; 3. Justin Kramer (MC), 385.55; 4. Benjamin Kepchar (M), 378.55; 5. Jeremy Burgess (L), 366.05; 6. Chris Devenport (P), 365.45.

100 Fly – 1. Kyle Whitaker (C), 50.03 (SECTIONAL RECORD); 2. Adam Thieling (C), 51.58 (STATE CUT); 3. Chris Schreier (P), 52.65 (STATE CUT); 4. Joshua Davis (A), 55.55; 5. Jacob Cross (C), 56.67; 6. Ryan Letts (L), 57.01.

100 Free – 1. Victor Sikorski (W), 47.94; 2. Greg Franzen (C), 48.05 (STATE CUT); 3. Tyler Fozkos (C), 48.40; 4. Christopher Kermin (L), 48.94; 5. Jacob Pavel (M), 49.81; 6. Benjamin Shuta (V), 49.82.

500 Free – 1. Bill Bass (C), 4:45.37; 2. Sean Swibes (C), 4:53.16; 3. Aaron Redfield (A), 4:56.16; 4. Ethan Hall (C), 4:58.68; 5. Kenneth Longfellow (P), 5:09.38; 6. Kristopher Wuebbling (V), 5:17.14.

200 Free Relay – 1. Chesterton (Tyler Fozkos, Matt Rosiecki, Greg Franzen, Bill Bass), 1:27.32 (SECTIONAL RECORD); 2. Wheeler, 1:32.09; 3. Valparaiso, 1:32.36; 4. Merrillville, 1:34.46; 5. LaPorte, 1:34.90; 6. Portage, 1:37.50.

100 Back – 1. Albert Miller (C), 51.70 (SECTIONAL RECORD); 2. Adam Thieling (C), 52.40 (STATE CUT); 3. Christopher Schreier (P), 55.14; 4. Joshua Davis (A), 58.29; 5. Ryan Byers (MC), 58.63; 6. Alexander Porucznik (V), 59.66.

100 Breast – 1. Cameron Miller (MC), 58.85 (SECTIONAL RECORD); 2. Matt Rosiecki (C), 1:00.09 (STATE CUT); 3. Sean Swibes (C), 1:00.34; 4. Nicholas Pabon (MC), 1:01.39; 5. Jake Cross (C), 1:02.96; 6. Nathan Quinlan (MC), 1:03.96.

400 Free Relay – 1. Chesterton (Kyle Whitaker, Albert Miller, Greg Franzen, Bill Bass), 3:09.73 (SECTIONAL RECORD); 2. Valparaiso, 3:24.12; 3. Michigan City, 3:2.42; 4. Portage, 3:26.92; 5. Merrillville, 3:30.93; 6. Wheeler, 3:32.38.

Posted 2/18/2008