By Sean Fuchs
Neuqua Valley senior Brian Alden was significantly faster than the field on Friday afternoon in the prelims of the 50-yard freestyle at the boys swimming and diving state championships. Almost blazing.
UPDATE: Guess who did you know what in the 100 freestyle.
The two-time defending state champion will be tomorrow's top seed after his 20.16 second result. The second-place finisher was at 21 flat.
The top six in each indvidual event advance to the championship finals on Saturday, which begin at 1 p.m. at Evanston Township High School. The next six move on to the consolation finals.
North's Jackson Hill is the third seed at 21.01.
Hill's teammate Conor Handley was advanced to the finals in the 200 individual medley with the third fastest time of 1:52.70, two tenths behind the pole sitter. Also advancing in the IM are North sophomore Will Heidler (sixth) and Central's Bobby Rickert (eighth).
Neuqua got two through in the 200 freestyle where Kevin Overholt is the two seed and Hans Peters got in at 11. Peters moving on is the kind of thing NV needs if it is going to make a run at the title.
As is qualifying its 200 medley relay team with the fifth seed. Central grabbed the last transfer spot with the sixth seed.
UPDATED: Neuqua's Ryan Farmer and Waubonsie Valley's Jack Poletto advanced in the 100 butterfly, in ninth and 10th, respectively.
UPDATED: There was a 1-2-3 Naperville result in the 100 freestyle with Alden winning in 44.65. Hill was second at 45.06 and Overholt took third at 46 flat.
UPDATED: Neuqua and North made it to the championship finals in the 200 freestyle relay. Central qualified for the consolation finals.
UPDATED: Neuqua is the top seed in the 400 free relay, and North and Central also made it to the championship finals with their entries.
Rickert is the second seed in the 100 breaststroke, and teammate Ben Reasons is fourth. North's Heidler and Waubonsie's Jim Zuponeck both advanced to the consolation finals.
Handley was seventh in the 100 backstroke, and will run in the consolation finals on Saturday.
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