Blue Dukes 2nd at Boys Swimming Sectional

Whitefish Bay boys swimming coach Jim Davis was happy with the team’s third-place finish at last week’s North Shore Conference meet. He was even happier with the Dukes’ performance at Saturday’s Division 2 sectional in Cudahy.

Bay racked up 322.5 points and claimed second prize, qualifying several individuals for next weekend’s state meet in Madison along the way.

Davis said the team’s performance was “outstanding,” and that 90 percent of the swimmers set personal bests. The Dukes showed great determination and effort, competing admirably against tough opponents like Shorewood and Elkhorn Area, he said.

Senior Bobby Rinka, sophomore Henry Smith and senior captain D.J. Friesch led the way and will represent the Dukes at the state’s top tournament at the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s natatorium.

Rinka set the tone early, winning the diving competition with a score of 297.80. He said he was very happy with the performance, especially his inverted 1.5 and front double. Rinka, who placed fifth in the NCS conference meet, said he aims to finish in the top six at state.

Smith won the 500 freestyle in 4:57.22 seconds.  Friesch claimed the 100 breaststroke crown, finishing in a time of 1:02.57.

Coach Davis said Friesch’s calm, cool leadership has been key to Bay’s success this season.

“He’s not loud and boisterous,” Davis said. “He doesn’t need to be. He leads by example.”

The squad’s three state qualifiers will continue practicing and fine tuning this week, Davis said. Focusing on starts, turns and “all the small stuff,” will be important to performing well at state, he said.

In addition to the state-bound trio, Bay benefitted from the strong swimming of juniors James Colton and Henry Bourgeois.

Shorewood turned in a true team effort to claim the championship, winning all three relay races and packing the podium with multiple swimmers in several events. In the 200 IM, Shorewood finished third, fourth and fifth.  In the 100 butterfly, the team placed second, fourth and fifth.

Seniors Kasmir Bohannon and Andrew Eden were the top Greyhound swimmers. Bohannon won the 50 freestyle in 22.14 seconds and the 100 freestyle in 47.99. Eder finished second n both the 50 freestyle and 100 breaststroke.

Brookfield Academy finished eighth as a team, but its seniors Jack Donovan and Jonathan Marks were two of the meet’s top swimmers. Donovan won the 200 freestyle and 100 butterfly, while Marks won the 200 IM and 100 backstroke.

Final team scores were: Shorewood (392), Whitefish Bay (322.5), Elkhorn Area (312), Whitnall (217), Martin Luther (185), Delavin-Darien (168.5), Cudahy (162), Brookfield Academy (151), Pius XI (105), Whitewater (87) and St. Thomas More/St. Francis (73).