Fenwick uses new attire to race to MCAC title
By Rick Behren Contributor February 7, 2012 4:08PM
Fenwick's Max Showalter competes in diving, during the Metro Catholic Aquatics Conference meet Friday at Fenwick. | Jerry Daliege~for Sun-Times Media
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Updated: March 11, 2012 8:18AM
Maybe it was the new Fastskins swimwear or the fact that the championship season has arrived, but the Fenwick boys swimming team made a big leap last weekend with its first Metro Catholic Aquatics Conference championship since 2005.
The Friars (401 points) outswam rival Loyola (342) for the title in their home pool as they prepare to host the IHSA sectionals beginning Feb. 18. Fenwick also finished ahead of 11 other MCAC teams, including Marmion (317), St. Ignatius (273) and Brother Rice (208) to round out the top five.
“The team was very psyched up for this meet — they really wanted to beat Loyola and they did,” said Fenwick head coach Luke McGuire, who was named MCAC Coach of the Year. “At practice this week a few of the boys discussed wearing their Fastskins, a new type of swimwear manufactured by Speedo, so they decided as a team to wear them. I saw it as an opportunity for a new experience, gave them my approval, and things turned out quite well. We cut times and even had some that were under the IHSA cuts, which is what we want at this time of year.”
The Friars relay teams continue to swim at warp speed, including the 200-yard medley relay squad of Bryce Peters, Tommy McGuire, Rich Mueller and Viken Huening, who won the event in 1 minute, 36.69 seconds, well under the state cut time of 1:38.88. The 400 freestyle relay of Justin White, Huening, Dan Kelly and Matt Bresnahan also were winners in 3:10.83.
The 200 free relay of Justin White, Huening, McGuire and Kelly finished in 1:25.88, also better than the IHSA standard.
Kelly also was named Senior Swimmer of the Year in a three-way tie along with Jamie Jarez of St. Ignatius and Brendan Hulseman of Loyola.
Other top finishers for Fenwick in the MCAC meet were: White (1:44.22, IHSA cut is 1:45.63) in the 200 free; Peters (2:01.51) in the 200 IM and 500 free (5:02.08); Kelly (22.02) in the 50 free; Mueller (54.23) in the 100 butterfly; Matt Farmer (57.44) in the 100 backstroke; and McGuire (1:00.49, below state cut) in the 100 breaststroke.
White (47.57) and Huening (48.33) also were below the IHSA cut in the 100 free.
“The team will now focus on a successful taper and a shave (time) meet for the end-of-the-year meets (sectional, State),” McGuire said. “We will rest a few swimmers for sectionals, but our core group will rest for State.
“This is one of the hardest-working teams I have coached. They have good leadership from the senior class, and I am expecting great things from them the rest of the way.”
The home sectional will include swimmers from Fenton, Morton, Reavis, Curie, Hubbard, Kennedy, Little Village, Elmwood Park, Leyden, Proviso West, Lyons Township, Oak Park-River Forest, Riverside-Brookfield and Argo.
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