Excuse Hinsdale Central coach Tom Schweer’s Swedish.
“It was kind of a strange meet for us; like a smorgasbord,” said Schweer, trying to describe his Red Devils’ winning but less-than-awesome performance in Saturday’s West Suburban Conference swimming meet at Downers Grove North.
“We had a couple of kids who swam well, a few who didn’t swim so well. Take your pick.”
Schweer’s top pick would be his team’s 285-237 victory over runner-up Downers Grove South. He enjoyed immensely the meet record (1 minute 40.91 seconds) set by the Red Devils’ 200 medley relay team of Chris and Brian Bateman, Matt Barnett and John Pelling. Barnett’s two individual victories-in the 100 breaststroke and 50 freestyle-were also easy to digest. Hinsdale had winners in eight of the 11 swimming events, including sophomore Vince Allegra in the 200 IM.
Given their choice, most would say York senior Drew Sir’s victory over Allegra in the 100 freestyle was the “pick” of the day.
Allegra, after all, is the top returning finisher from last year’s state meet in the 100. Excuse Sir, then, for crowing after swallowing Hinsdale’s main course.
“I read that article on Tyler Holcomb and his guitar,” said Sir, referring to the Fremd senior who took second in both the 200 and 500 freestyles at state last year. “It’s good he has something to fall back on.”
If that sounds like breast-beating, it’s just Sir’s way of saying he’s ready for a little credit.
“I got so sick about hearing and reading about Holcomb and (Stevenson’s Keith) Bewick,” said Sir, who also won the 200 free. “Some of my times are the same as theirs. This is the first time I’ve faced Allegra. I watched him last year as a fan in the stands.”
Sir owes his lack of notoriety to his failure to qualify for last year’s state meet in his two events, the 200 and 500 free. In last year’s league meet, he got two thirds, despite going in as the second seed. But this year’s move from the 500 to the 100-partly because of a bout with bronchitis-paid off big Saturday.
“A year is a long time. I put it to good use,” said Sir.
For Hinsdale Central, the WSC meet is always like a spring-training game.
“We don’t put a lot of importance on this meet,” agreed Barnett.
“Naperville North killed us in a dual meet. They did the same thing last year and the year before, but we always beat them at state. All we care about is sectionals and state. We’re pretty single-minded, I guess.”
Which is why Schweer took Allegra’s loss in the 100 so well.
“Vince (Allegra) was just off his game today,” he said. “He’s on penicillin and he’s been doing a lot of high-intensity training. He came in a little flat, and then he had a terrible swim.
“There are a lot of expectations because we’re Hinsdale Central. This team is not blessed with a lot of great swimmers, but like Vince, we’re where we ought to be.”
