Fenwick sophomore swimmer Liam Hutchinson became a two-time state qualifier Saturday at the Fenwick Sectional meet.
After failing to advance to the finals last year, Hutchinson is setting higher goals for himself this weekend at New Trier.
“Going into the state (finals) last year for the first time, getting to see the atmosphere at state, that obviously made me a little nervous,” said Hutchinson, who lives in Glen Ellyn. “This year, I will kind of know what I am facing, which will help.
“Instead of going into high school saying, ‘All I want to do is qualify,’ this year I am more interested in trying to make finals and to get some points for the team.”
On Saturday, Hutchinson qualified in two individual events and two relays. He finished third in the 200-yard freestyle (1:43.04) and second in the 500 freestyle (4:40.21), two events in which he also qualified for state as a freshman. In addition, Hutchinson swam legs of the Friars’ second-place 200 and 400 freestyle relays.
Fenwick coach Luke McGuire has been impressed with the workload that Hutchinson has carried this season.
“He is the complete package. He does have a lot of natural ability, but he is an incredibly hard worker,” McGuire said. “He has natural speed. To swim the 500 (freestyle), and then get up and anchor the 200 (freestyle relay), that is asking a lot out of a kid. You do not see that very often.”
The Friars’ other individual state qualifiers include junior Tommy Bartecki, who finished second in the 100 backstroke (52.71), and sophomore Dan Lynch, who won the 100 breaststroke (59.25).
Fenwick, which won the sectional with 290 points, qualified all three relay teams for the finals. Bartecki, Lynch, Conor Hendzel and Kevin Finn qualified in the first-place 200 medley relay (1:35.67).
Lynch, Bartecki, Hutchinson, and Kyle Poland advanced in the 200 freestyle relay (1:26.97). Hutchinson, Bartecki, Poland and Matt Hoban qualified in the 400 freestyle relay (3:12.15)
“(For) the kids at Fenwick, the relays have always been easy,” McGuire said. “The kids like that part of swimming. It is more team-oriented than just swimming an individual event. Maybe it is some rub-off of water polo, because the majority of the kids do play water polo.
“We put a lot of effort into relays … not only because it makes it more exciting for the kids, but it gets more points at state.”
Hutchinson is anticipating that the Friars will have a good showing at the state finals.
“Everything is starting to click,” Hutchinson said. “We are all starting to feel it, we are all at our peak right now.”
Rotatori, Raidt lead Huskies’ qualifiers
Oak Park-River Forest qualified for state in four individual swimming events, two relay teams and one diver.
Freshman Will Raidt (1:41.67) and sophomore J.P. Rotatori (1:43.31) both qualified for the 200-yard freestyle, and senior Thomas Wolfe won the 200 individual medley to advance.
Rotatori also won the 100 freestyle (47.62), while Raidt won the 100 backstroke (51.98).
The Huskies’ team of Wolfe, Raidt, Rotatori and senior J.P. Ungaretti qualified in the 200 and 400 freestyle relays. Freshman Tyler Hoyt won the sectional diving competition with a score of 341.90.
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The Huskies finished second at the sectional (275 points), coming close to what coach Clyde Lundgren anticipated.
“(Sectionals) definitely can be crazy, in terms of the ups and downs you experience,” Lundgren said. “It was definitely what we wanted as far as how the team did.”
Patrick Kelly is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.
Twitter @Pioneer_Press