Luke Maurer knew he swam a good race. He just didn’t know how good.
When the Loyola senior touched the wall in Friday’s prelims of the 200-yard freestyle, his time of 1:34.49 broke a state-meet record by more than a second.
New Trier’s Reed Malone, the previous record-holder, swam a 1:35.60 at the 2013 state meet.
“I felt good about the race. It felt fast but not exhausting,” said Maurer, who lives in Wilmette. “I wasn’t sure what to expect, and seeing (the number), it was exhilarating. Not only was I fired up for myself, but to get the team fired up, I felt like that would do the job.”
Maurer went on to win the state championship Saturday in the 200 free by swimming a time of 1:36.35 in the finals. Teammate Everet Andrew became the Ramblers’ second state champion of the day when he won the 500 free in 4:24.50.
“Last year, I got inside my head too much,” said Andrew, a senior who lives in Wilmette. “This year, I was thinking I need to go out, have some fun and rip it.”
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Andrew and Maurer, along with freshman Rex Maurer and sophomore Andrew Kelly, swam legs in the Ramblers’ championship-winning 400 freestyle relay (4:02.80). The Ramblers’ three victories in the 12 events paced them to a second-place team finish with 135 points, just behind champion St. Charles North (137).
Luke Maurer was the runner-up in the 100 free (43.91). Andrew finished sixth in the 200 individual medley (1:53.74). Rex Maurer finished second to Andrew in the 500 free (4:26.35) and fifth in the 200 free (1:39.54).
Loyola’s 200 free relay team of Luke Maurer, Rex Maurer, Kelly and sophomore Lachlan Andrew finished second (1:23.59).
The Ramblers had not finished in the top two at the state meet since 1989.
“The team has come so far in my four years. Every year, we’ve continued to get better and better,” said Luke Maurer, a Stanford recruit. “That’s more exciting than my personal swims.”
Titans finish 3rd: Max Iida entered the state meet with a strong body, a clear mind and a plan to win.
The Glenbrook South junior ended the state meet with three first-place medals.
Iida opened the meet with a victory in the 200 medley relay, then won titles in the 200 individual medley (1:47.40) and 100 breaststroke (54.62).
He said he did not like his mental approach going into last year’s state meet, where he finished third in the IM and breaststroke.
“I took what happened last year very hard. I came into this year making sure it would not happen again,” Iida said. “Last year, I thought I would win, but in reality I needed to think a little more humbly.”
The Titans’ three relay teams all earned medals. The 200 medley relay team of Iida, Adam Zuiker, Nick Khatkovyy and Mike Hadjiivanov shared first-place honors with Hinsdale Central. Glenbrook South and Hinsdale Central touched the wall in 1:31.31.
“It gave me goosebumps, it was so exciting to watch,” Titans coach Keith MacDonald said. “We came from way behind and had an amazing last leg. When (Hadjiivanov) touched, I thought we won.”
The 400 free relay team finished second to Loyola with a time of 3:05.77. Iida, Hadjiivanov, Elliot Chen and Sami Moussally swam in that race.
The 200 free relay team placed third (1:23.93) with Hadjiivanov, Chen, Moussally and Khatkovyy all swimming legs.
Moussally medaled as an individual in the 500 free (eighth, 4:36.00) and 200 free (11th, 1:40.83). Hadjiivanov earned a medal in the 50 free (ninth, 20.96), as did Chen in the 100 free (12th, 47.33). Sophomore diver Nick Tarantino finished eighth with 432.25 points.
Glenbrook South’s third-place team finish (128 points) was its highest since 2015.
Trevians take 10th: New Trier earned state medals in two individual events and two relays.
Senior Pearce Bailey placed fifth in the 100 free (46.00) and 10th in the 50 free (21.06).
New Trier’s 200 free relay team of Bailey and fellow seniors Sam Dienstag, Marc Hagist and Rishi Nair finished sixth (1:24.95). The same group swam the 400 free relay and finished ninth (3:09.10).
As a team, New Trier finished 10th with 39 points.
Johnson earns medal: One Glenbrook North swimmer took home a medal from the state meet. Senior Zander Johnson placed 12th in the 100 butterfly with a time of 50.79.
Jon J. Kerr is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.
Twitter @Pioneer_Press
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