Colin O’Leary wanted more from the final season of his Barrington boys swimming career.
Three previous seasons had resulted in state meet appearances. In 2015, O’Leary raced in the championship heat in the 100-yard backstroke. But this season, his last as a Bronco, O’Leary aspired to greater heights.
And on Saturday at New Trier, he achieved what he set out to do.
O’Leary seized top-six medals in both the 100 backstroke and 100 butterfly. In the butterfly, O’Leary placed fifth with a time of 49.81, a career-best. In the backstroke, he also finished fifth with a time of 50.93.
“Making the finals in both makes me feel really good. I’m happy with it,” O’Leary said.
“Colin had a great weekend. He accomplished his goal,” coach John Valentine added.
A strategic change before the Feb. 11 Mid-Suburban League meet paid off for O’Leary at the state meet.
Before the MSL meet, O’Leary, along with senior co-captain Mitch Gavars, consulted with Valentine. They discussed implementing a different tapering method than in previous seasons.
“In earlier years, we’d peak at sectionals and it was, ‘Let’s see what we have left,’ ” O’Leary said. “This year, we were more like, ‘Let’s focus on the state meet.’ “
At practices, O’Leary and Gavars swam their own sets, focusing on distance. Valentine and his swimmers hoped the tactic would pay off in the long run with greater success in the state series.
“It’s one of those balancing questions: Do you taper later and risk not performing at sectionals and not qualifying (for state), or do you taper them early and at least have a chance to participate at state?” Valentine said. “The formula we used was to taper (O’Leary and Gavars) later so they’d peak for state and all the others taper for sectionals.”
State series results proved the decision to be wise.
Barrington won its own sectional on Feb. 18. Two of the Broncos’ relay teams qualified for state. Gavars won the 500 free sectional title and made the state cut in the 200 free. Senior John Lagoni won the 100 and 200 freestyle sectional races.
“To win it at our own pool was amazing,” O’Leary said. “It was a very happy surprise.”
As the Broncos hoped the training would play out, Gavars came closest to joining O’Leary in a state final.
His time of 4:36.09 in the 500 free put him just outside the top-12 cut after Friday’s state preliminaries. Even though he missed the state finals, Gavars dropped 5.84 seconds off his sectional time.
Of Barrington’s state participants, only sophomore Sam Burrell will return. Next season will be a rebuilding one for the Broncos.
O’Leary plans to swim next season at Boston College. He’ll graduate from Barrington with one of the most accomplished swimming careers in school history.
“In my nine years as coach, he’s in the top three I’ve had the pleasure of working with,” Valentine said. “Physically, his ability to perform in the pool and his mental maturity is above and beyond everyone else.”
Jon J. Kerr is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.
Twitter @Pioneer_Press
