Craig swimmers beat Parker
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JANESVILLE — Busting the wrapper off on a new high school boys swim season is exciting and filled with anxiety, especially if you’re a freshman and your new team is focused on notching a milestone over its crosstown rival.
Craig freshman Spencer Mattox had all that and more going through his head when the Cougars arrived at Parker High’s pool Friday for a Big Eight Conference dual-meet season opener.
The Cougars defeated the Vikings, 95-75, for an historic victory over their crosstown rivals.
“Tonight was about the win,” Craig coach Brian Kitzman said. “It was our 10th win in a row (over Parker). A decade. We are really proud of that.
“It means a lot to the guys,” Kitzman added. “Our seniors graduated undefeated.’’
Mattox, a seasoned club swimmer, is used to competiting in big meets, but none of those club meets had the tone or carried the weight of this one.
“I definitely worried, knowing today was an historic meet, and how we could win a decade straight. It was really important to me to get it,” Mattox said. “I just wanted to do it for the team and the seniors (last season) and (John) Maginot (Craig’s lone senior this season).’’
Mattox won the 100 butterfly in 1 minute, 01.34 seconds and finished second to junior teammate Alex Loftus in the 100 breastroke at 1:02.49-1:02.97. Mattox was on Craig’s winning 200 medley and 400 freestyle relay teams.
The breaststroke duels between Mattox and Alex Loftus are expected to rage thoughout the season.
“We’re pushing each other to new heights,” Mattox said. “We’re taking off time we couldn’t if we didn’t swim against each other.’’
Like Mattox, Loftus welcome the season-long duels.
“We kinda keep it competitive,” Loftus said. “It’s nice, we push each other and it make for nice races.’’
Loftus added a victory in the 200 freestyle, posting a 2:05.09. He was also on the winning 200 medley and 400 freestyle relay teams.
Craig’s Jacob Canik won the 500 freestyle in 5:45.28 as the Cougars won six of the 11 events.
Parker trailed 35-27 after the first four events, but the Cougars slowly pulled away.
“I’d like to beat Craig, but at the end of the season let’s see how many kids get to state,” Rhodes said. “I’m all right with it.”
Parker’s victories came from Marcus Murdy, 200 freestyle, 2:04.93; Caleb Sigmund, 50 freestyle, 23.73, and the 100 freestyle, 54.27; Jacob Johnson, 100 backstroke, 1:03.75; and the 200 freestyle relay with Tommy Dvorak, Matt Simon, Hayden Simonis and Caleb Sigmund.
“The meet was closer than I thought,” Rhodes said. “Caleb Sigmund had awesome swims, Jacob Johnson looked real good, and Brandon Jackson had good swims.’’
Parker will compete at Craig in the Cougar Relays at 10 a.m. today.
CRAIG 95, PARKER 75
200 medley relay—1. Craig (Alex Loftus, Spencer Mattox, Nick Strub, Tyler Meinders, 1:48.23; 2. Parker, 1:52.50.
200 freestyle—1. Marcus Murdy (JP), 2:04.93; 2. Jacob Canic (JC), 2:06.7; 3. Travis Condon (JC), 2:14.38.
200 individual medley—1. Alex Loftus (JC), 2:05.09; 2. Jacob Johnson (JP), 2:25.37; 3. Ben Hartzell (JP), 2:27.65.
50 freestyle—1. Caleb Sigmund (JP), 23.73; 2. Strub (JC), 24.31; 3. Meinders (JC), 23.56.
100 butterfly—1. Mattox (JC), 1:01.34; 2. Murdy (JP), 1:03.63; 3. Alex Dyble (JC), 1:11.18.
100 freestyle—1. Caleb Sigmund (JP), 54.27; 2. Strub (JC), 54.45; 3. Meinders (JC), 57.07.
500 freestyle—1. Jacob Canik (JC), 5:45.28; 2. Brandon Jackson (JP), 5:48.94; 3. John Maginot (JC), 6:00.21.
200 freestyle relay—1. Parker (Dvorak, Simon, Simonis, C. Sigmund), 1:40.6; 2. Craig, 1:40.81.
100 backstroke—1. Jacob Johnson (JP), 1:03.75; 2. T. Loftus (JC), 1:05; 3. Jackson (JP), 1:06.67.
100 breaststroke—1. Alex Loftus (JC), 1:02.49; 2. Mattox (JC), 1:02.49; 3. Nate Sigmund (JP), 1:10.22.
400 freestyle relay—1. Craig (Strub, Dyble, Mattox, Loftus), 3:41.58; 2. Parker, 3:46.26.
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