NT’s Tommy Hackley swims the 500 free at the Niles North Sectional. PHOTOGRAPHY BY JUDY FIDKOWSKI
New Trier’s boys swimming team did not just win all three relay races at last weekend’s Niles North Sectional in Skokie.
Each foursome sped to a state-best time among qualifiers from all 16 sectionals.
Whoa … times three.
Seniors Patrick Gridley, Charlie Scheinfeld and Ryan Gridley and sophomore Pearce Bailey clocked a 1:30.59 to top the 200-yard medley relay on Feb. 17; Ryan Gridley, junior Nick Torre, senior Pierson Ohr and Bailey combined legs for a 1:24.09 in the 200 freestyle relay; and senior Ean Vandergraaf, Ryan Gridley, Patrick Gridley and Scheinfeld overwhelmed the 400 free field with a time of 3:03.57 — more than seven seconds faster than the runner-up time.
Two-time reigning state 100 breaststroke champion Scheinfeld ranks first among state qualifiers in the 100 breaststroke (55.08).
NT coach Josh Runkle’s Trevians tallied 294 points to win the Niles North Sectional:
Other championship swims from Trevs: Scheinfeld (200 IM, 1:52.49); Ryan Gridley (100 free, 45.86); and Patrick Gridley (100 backstroke, 50.07).
Other state-qualifying efforts from Trevs: Patrick Gridley (second place, 200 IM, 1:54.01 ); Ohr (third, 100 breaststroke, 58.51); Vandergraaf (third, 200 free, 1:42.88; fifth, 500 free, 4:42.1); senior Tommy Hackley (third, 500 free, 4:40.6; seventh, 200 free, 1:44.26); Bailey (fourth, 50 free, 21:59); senior Jack Connolly (fourth, diving, 425.25); and senior Tony Bayvas (eighth, 50 free, 21.83).
At the Lake Forest High School Sectional, also held on Feb. 17, Highland Park junior Andrew Vorobev advanced to state in the 200 IM (second place, 1:55.65) and in the 100 butterfly (second, 52.08), as the Giants placed fourth at the eight-team meet with 180 points; the host school received state-qualifying efforts from LFHS sophomore Luke Lanigan (first place, 500 free, 4:49.51) and its 400 free relay (first place, 3:17.1 — senior Colin Robinson, Lanigan, junior Carlos Minetti and sophomore Oliver Akintade).
LF’s Scouts (212 points) finished runner-up to Libertyville’s Wildcats (234.5).
The two-day state meet at Evanston starts on Feb. 23.
New Trier’s Ean Vandergraaf competes in the 500 free at the Niles North Sectional. PHOTOGRAPHY BY JUDY FIDKOWSKI
Pierson Ohr of the Trevians competes in the 100 free at the sectional. PHOTOGRAPHY BY JUDY FIDKOWSKI
Pearce Bailey of the Trevians in congratulated by a teammate after swimming anchor in the 200 medley relay. PHOTOGRAPHY BY JUDY FIDKOWSKI
NT’s Jacob Hagist drives hard in the 100 fly at the sectional meet. PHOTOGRAPHY BY JUDY FIDKOWSKI
New Trier’s Tony Bayvas checks his time after swimming the 50 free. PHOTOGRAPHY BY JUDY FIDKOWSKI