In its last dual meet of the season, OPRF soundly defeated Hinsdale Central High School 123-63 on Jan. 24 to put itself in position to take the conference. If they win the West Suburban Silver, it will be the first time since 1998 that the Huskies would take home the conference title.
“Hinsdale Central is a perennial favorite to win the West Suburban Conference and usually a top-ten team in the state, so we have been preparing for them since our senior night,” said OPRF’s head coach Clyde Lundgren. “It was an exciting night and the boys swam well across the board. We put together a really strong lineup, and they executed very well.”
After beating Hinsdale Central, the Huskies move forward this season having won all of their in-conference dual meets.
Results
In the 200-yard medley relay, senior Will Raidt and juniors Diego Pareja, Benjamin Guerrero, and Frank Tirone placed first with a time 1:37.49 (Hinsdale finished 1:39.60). OPRF juniors Finn McMullen and James Shorney joined Raidt and Pareja in the 200-yard free relay and beat out the rest of the pack with a 1:29.88 time.
In the 200-yard freestyle, Raidt finished ahead of the Red Devils’ Michael Benington (his time was 1:45.72). Raidt also won the 500-yard free (4.50.46). Guerrero also participated in the 200-yard IM and finished with a time of 1:58.94 (OPRF’s Braydon Graves was second with a time of 2:05.28). Tirone also placed first in the 50-yard free (21.50) and the 100-yard free (48.19). Pareja finished on top in the 100-yard backstroke (55.35) and the 100-yard fly (53.58).
You can find the full results here.
“We wanted to go in and cover all our bases and put our guys in position to win,” said Lundgren. “Going in, we wanted to see our second and third guys come through, and they certainly did that.”
Moving forward
With sectionals coming in less than a month, the Huskies have two more events to prepare for the postseason. They have an invitational on Feb. 1 at Lyons South before they head to York High School for the West Suburban Silver championships on Feb. 7. Sectionals take place on Feb. 22.
“The format of the invitational has changed and doesn’t carry the same significance as it did in prior years, but it is going to be a great tune-up for us,” said Lundgren. “We are going up against some great programs, and we feel we are in a good spot.”
