Boys Swimming: Thomson, Red Devils dominate at conference meet
By George M. Wilcox gwilcox@pioneerlocal.com February 4, 2012 6:46PM
Hinsdale Central's Danny Thomson competes in the 200-yard freestyle at the West Suburban Conference Silver Division swim meet. | Jerry Daliege~for Sun-Times Media
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Updated: March 10, 2012 8:21AM
Danny Thomson was unbeatable Saturday, and he didn’t even have to give full effort.
Thomson won four events, including expected individual titles in the 500-yard freestyle (4:52.59) and 200 free (1:45.97), at the West Suburban Conference Silver Division meet at Downers Grove North. Thomson and three other individual winners led Hinsdale Central to its 41st conference title and fourth in a row. The Devils won their 12th title in the last 13 years with 333 points. Runner-up Oak Park-River Forest had 243 points.
The Stanford-bound Thomson, the state record holder in the 500 free, also won conference titles in the 200 free relay (1:30.26) with Jonah Heiser, Alex Cruz and Connor Schroyer. He won the 400 free relay (3:19.44) with Cruz, Schroyer and Will Leach. He has won at least six conference titles in his four-year career.
“There was a mixture of sadness, but also excitement,” Thomson said about his final conference meet. “I’m sad because I’m almost done with my high school career. But it’s exciting at the end of the year. I look forward to the future.”
The Devils won all three relays and junior Eddie Mapel repeated as conference champion in the 100 breast (1:03.27).
“Last year I was tapered for the meet and won in 1:01.95,” Mapel said. “I was not trying my hardest (today). I felt good racing with the kids.”
Hinsdale Central’s Jonah Heiser shaved for the meet and won the 50 free in 22.51. One other individual winner for the Devils was Connor Schroyer in the 100 free (50.43).
“It was amazing (winning),” Heiser said. “I’ve put in a lot of hard work this season. It was my first year on the varsity.”
OPRF’s Kyle Patnode won two events in the 100 butterfly (53.20) and 100 backstroke (54.74). Ben Lewis won the diving Friday night with 462.90 points.
WEST SUBURBAN SILVER
Teams: Hinsdale Central 333, Oak Park-River Forest 243, Lyons Township 224, Downers North 168, Glenbard West 129, York 116, Proviso West 35.
200-yard freestyle relay: Hinsdale Central (Will Leach, Eddie Mapel, Mark Smith, Jonah Heiser) 1:40.56; 200 free: Danny Thomson, Hinsdale Central, 1:45.97; 200 IM: Nikita Bondarenko, OPRF, 1:59.82; 50 free: Heiser, 22.51; Diving: Ben Lewis, OPRF, 462.90; 100 butterfly: Kyle Patnode, OPRF, 53.20; 100 free: Connor Schroyer, Hinsdale Central, 50.43; 500 free: Thomson, 4:52.59; 200 free relay: Hinsdale Central (Heiser, Alex Cruz, Schroyer, Thomson) 1:30.26; 100 backstroke: Patnode, 54.74; 100 breaststroke: Mapel, 1:03.27; 400 free relay: Hinsdale Central (Cruz, Schroyer, Leach, Thomson) 3:19.44.
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