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The Chisago Lakes boys’ swimming and diving team started its dual meet schedule at Cambridge Tuesday, December 15 by finishing first in all 12 events. They also collected three second place finishes and seven thirds on the way to a 101-80 win.

Steve Boo and Hunter Heggerston each won two individual races for the Wildcats. Boo won the 200 freestyle (2:03.14) and the 500 freestyle (5:43.85). Heggerston took first in the 50 freestyle (24.62) and the 100 freestyle (55.99).

Mark Eagan (200 ind. medley-2:26.2), Andy Willhite (diving-221.5), Luke Spehar (100 Butterfly-1:01.85), John Donohue (100 backstroke-1:05.36) and Tom McGurk (100 breaststroke-1:11.28) also won individual races..

The relay teams swept all three events. The 200 medley relay team (Donohue, McGurk, Spehar and Heggerston) finished first in 1:53.55. The 200 freestyle team (Dave Willhite, Joey Swanson, Spehar and Heggerston) won with 1:42.4. In the most exciting race of the day, D. Willhite, Andrew Turner, A. Willhite and Boo won the 400 freestyle relay in 3:48.47, less than half a second faster than the Cambridge team.

Andy Willhite, Eagan, Kevin Roggeman and D. Willhite took second in the 200 medley relay. McGurk (200 ind. medley) and Turner (500 freestyle) also took seconds for the Wildcats.

Cameron Novak, D. Willhite, Tom McCulloch, D. Willhite, Swanson and Eagan earned points for third place individual finishes. Spehar, Cody Gralish, Roggeman and Swanson took third in the 400 freestyle relay.

Numerous other Wildcats earned points for their team. “After depending on depth for years, we now have the up front speed to win races, too,” said Wildcat head coach Jim Sauerbry. “John Donohue and Mark Eagan had amazing swims.”

Wildcats 103, Spring Lake Park 81

“Our first (ever) dual meet in the North Suburban Conference and it may have been for the conference championship,” is the way coach Sauerbry described the home meet with Spring Lake Park Thursday, December 22.

Boo repeated his performance against Cambridge by winning two individual events. Boo won the 200 freestyle (1:59.93) and the 500 freestyle (5:36.71). Heggerston took first in the 100 freestyle (55.06) and second in the 50 freestyle (24.39). A. Willhite won the diving event with 217.30.

The relay teams won two of three events. The 200 medley relay team (Donohue, McGurk, Spehar and Heggerston) finished first in 1:52.99. The 200 freestyle team (D. Willhite, Swanson, Spehar and Heggerston) won with 1:42.4. Spehar, Turner, A. Willhite and Boo were second in the 400 freestyle relay in 3:49.12.

Other seconds were taken by Eagan (200 ind. medley), McCulloch (diving), Spehar (100 butterfly), Donohue (100 backstroke), and McGurk (100 breaststroke).

A. Willhite, Eagan, Roggeman and D.Willhite were third in the 200 medley relay. Other thirds came from Turner (2) D. Willhite (2), Novak, Eagan and A. Willhite.

The 200 freestyle relay team of Turner, Gralish, Ethan Karwand and Boo finished third as did the 400 freesyle realy team of Roggeman, Novak, Gralish and Swanson.

“Unbelievable races,” said Sauerbry. “In just about every event, our number one battled with their number one, our number two battled theirs. Even the fight for fifth place was close. They (the Chisago swimmers) have been training so well. They are able to finish their races very strongly.

“I feel the meet was much closer than the score indicates. If the swimmers hadn’t finished out each race the way they did, it could have come down to the last event,” Sauerbry continued.

The Wildcats had 60 personal best times in this meet. The coach concluded by saying, “Great team effort!”

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