The boys swimming state preliminaries opened with starting-device technical issues and ended with a swim-off for 13th place in the 100-yard breaststroke.
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Between the two unusual events at the New Trier Natatorium on Friday, the day unfolded with one state record falling, two defending champions hoping to repeat and one team with the clearest shot at winning it all.
Hinsdale Central emerged as the mental-math leader after the qualifying round. No teams earned points Friday, but the squad that qualifies in the most events for Saturday’s final is a safe bet to take home the top trophy.
The Red Devils will earn points from 10 qualifiers in nine of the 12 events, including all three relays, which are worth double the points. No other team made the cut in every relay.
“It looks like Hinsdale Central has enough points to win,” Glenbrook South coach Keith MacDonald said. “Then it’s really tight two through five.”
Peoria Notre Dame has nine qualifiers in eight events, and Glenbrook South, New Trier and Metea Valley all advanced seven. Of those three, the Glenbrook South has a slight edge because all of their swimmers will compete for state titles.
“Glenbrook South we knew was going to be good,” said New Trier senior Murphy McQuet, the top qualifier in the 100 and 200 freestyle. “Hinsdale Central came out of nowhere. You always know they’re good, but they haven’t been a major player all season.”
Wheaton North’s Max St. George broke the state-meet record in the 100 backstroke, finishing in 48.07 seconds. All 11 state-meet swimming records have been broken since 2009. The diving record, however, hasn’t been touched in 39 years.
Marian Catholic senior Joey Cifelli has a shot to change that. Cifelli, one of two 2014 champs who will defend his title Saturday, finished the prelims at 375.6 points with a chance to approach Hinsdale Central diver Dave Boldebuck’s record 537.72 from 1976.
No one has challenged the record in two decades, which Cifelli, a Purdue signee, attributes to tough scoring on the highest stage.
“It’s way harder to score high because it’s the state meet,” he said. “I have a pretty decent shot tomorrow if I can get points.”
Metea Valley’s Jordan O’Brien was the top qualifier in the 100 breaststroke, an event he won last year.