February 21, 2025
Sports

Hornet Swim Club mops up at Speedo Age Group state meet

By SUBURBAN LIFE

The Hornet Swim Club celebrates its state meet success at a recent team dinner. (Submitted photo)

DARIEN — The first record to fall was the record for best team finish.

The Hornet Swim Club kept on setting records at the Speedo Illinois Age Group swimming state meet as they went on to finish 10th in a field of 110 teams. The meet was held March 7-10 at Flames Natatorium at UIC.

The Hornets broke 18 team records (13 individual and five relay records) and had 36 top-16 finishes.

"By far, this is the most talented, hard-working and dedicated group of kids we've ever had the pleasure of coaching," head coach Mirko Mirkov said. "We have amazing swimmers."

Jason Yang set the pace with six top-5 finishes in the 13-14 boys division: In the 200-yard individual medley (second, 2:02.97), 100 freestyle (second, 48.36), 100 butterfly (third, 54.48), 200 backstroke (third, 1:59.88), 100 backstroke (fourth, 55.67) and 200 freestyle (fourth, 1:47.59).

Other individual top-16 showings came courtesy of the following swimmers:

— Alex Knutte in the 11-12 year-old girls 50 freestyle (second, 25.27), 100 freestyle (fifth), 200 freestyle (sixth) and 100 backstroke (ninth).

— Eden Suda in the 50 breaststroke (fifth), 100 breaststroke (sixth), 100 butterfly (13th) and 50 butterfly (16th)

— Stephanie Bowater in the 100 butterfly (eighth) and 100 backstroke (11th).

— Billy Leader in the 100 breaststroke (seventh).

— Cullen Cochlan in the 50 freestyle (eighth), 100 medley (12th), 100 freestyle (13th) and 100 butterfly (15th).

— Grace Fowler in the 50 freestyle (ninth), 100 backstroke (14th) and 50 butterfly (15th).

— Lainey Quinones in the 50 butterfly (12th).

— Tom Gruchala with 15th place finishes in both the 200 breaststroke and 200 freestyle.

— William Bowater with 16th place showings in the 200 freestyle and 100 breaststroke.

The Hornets also had a slew of top-10 relay finishes, led by the girls 10-and-under 200 freestyle relay. The quartet of Grace Fowler, Katrina Geiersbach, Lainey Quinones, and Eden Suda finished second in 2:00.98. The same foursome was third in the 200 medley relay in 2:23.15.

Additional top-10 relay finishes came from:

— The 13-14 boys 400 medley relay, where William Bowater, Tom Gruchala, Billy Leader and Jason Yang finished in third place.

— The 13-14 boys 400 freestyle relay, where William Bowater, Bryte Bu, Tom Gruchala and Jason Yang took fifth.

— The 10-and-under 200 freestyle relay, where Cullen Cochlan, Will Gallagher, Cole Kosanovich and Nick Tommasone finished in eighth place.

— The 11-12 girls 400 freestyle relay. Caroline Bowater, Stephanie Bowater, Alex Knutte and Allie Puccillo placed eighth. The same quartet was ninth in the 400 medley relay.