Hinsdale Central swimmers take title at New Trier’s ‘mini state meet’

WINNETKA – Hinsdale Central swimming coach Bob Barber chose to view the end of Saturday’s Trevian Relays from a bank of bleachers overlooking New Trier’s pool.

How fitting.

His two-time reigning state champion Red Devils would finish in the northernmost spot in the team standings at the highly competitive invite.

“It’s too crowded down there, though I like to be amid a lot of people at some meets,” Barber said of the deck swarming with swimmers and coaches from 16 schools.

“We call this meet the ‘mini state meet.’”

His rapid fleet produced major feats in Winnetka, winning seven of the 14 events and setting three meet records en route to 253 points. New Trier finished runner-up with 224 points, followed by Stevenson (178), Loyola (176) and Lyons (165).

Points in individual events were awarded based on the combined times of each team’s two entrants. Hinsdale Central senior Henry Guo and junior Luke Vatev went 1-2 in the 100-yard freestyle, clocking respective times of 46.47 and 46.58. Vatev later turned the tables on his mate, edging Guo 50.43-51-flat to win the 100 backstroke.

Both aggregate times supplanted previous meet marks.

“There’s tension at our practices,” said HC senior and Indiana-bound Josh Bey, who led off the Red Devils’ victorious 200 medley relay (meet-record 1:26.63) and touched first in the 200 IM (1:52.83). “There are rivalries too — friendly rivalries.

“I’ve become a better practice swimmer.”

Stevenson senior Timothy Rhee emerged as the runner-up (1:46.21) to HC’s Noah Pelinkovic (1:45.19) in the 200 freestyle. But Rhee deserved to have an asterisk and a few exclamation points appear after his name on the final results.

The Patriot had raced in the event’s penultimate heat.

“Some love this situation,” Stevenson coach Doug Lillydahl said of swimmers racing against a slew of state-medal contenders. “Eight weeks down, six to go in the season. It’s a good time in the season to compete in a meet that’s definitely the best simulation of the state meet until the state meet.”

Lillydahl also received a second-place swim from senior Sirui Wang in the 100 breaststroke (57.63). Sirui then anchored the runner-up 400 free relay unit (3:12.09) after legs from Kyler Chou, Maxim Kolbunov and Josh Wang.

Only three teams won more than one event on Saturday. St. Charles North earned that distinction, joining HC and the hosts. SCN sophomore Thomas McMillan collaborated with classmates Josh Lack, Collin Beu and Landyn Kruse to capture gold in the frosh-soph 200 medley relay (1:38.77) and then sped to a first-place 50.7 in the 100 butterfly.

Hinsdale Central’s Matthew Vatev, Guo and Frankie Adamo swam legs 2-3-4 on that winning 200 medley relay. Ten events later, Matthew Vatev triumphed in the 100 breast with a 56.83, more than 1 second faster than his seed time.

Adamo, Teddy Chase, Pelinkovic and Guo capped the meet emphatically for the Red Devils, pooling their speed to win the 400 free relay in 3:11.09.

“Our swimmers understand the team philosophy,” Barber said. “It’s a competitive group, with many battling for a spot on our sectional team. We have 85 kids; only 10-13 will swim for us at a sectional.

“We’re shooting to do what few teams have done: win three state titles in a row.”

https://www.dailyherald.com/20250118/boys-swimming/boys-swimming-hinsdale-central-rises-to-top-of-new-triers-mini-state-meet/