Team records personal bests, finishes season strong
By Chris Bennett
Sports Correspondent
And Mike Ramczyk
A lack of entries at the WIAA Division 1 State Swimming & Diving Championships does not change how coach Chad Hinze feels about the Burlington Co-op boys high school swim team.
“I honestly love this team,” Hinze said. “While talking with the boys in practice, on the bus and before the meet I continually reiterated that there can be no regrets after this meet.”
The Demons finished eighth out of 12 teams Saturday in a Division 1 sectional meet hosted by Tremper High School at Carthage College in Kenosha.
The winner in each event at the six Division 1 sectional meets advances to state, along with the next 18 fastest times state-wide. The Division 1 State Swimming & Diving Championships are Saturday in Madison at the University of Wisconsin Natatorium.
Burlington Co-op is comprised of swimmers from Burlington, Catholic Central, East Troy, Union Grove and Waterford high schools. Hinze said he challenged the team before the meet to be sure he got their best swims.
“I asked each swimmer to think about their races and give a 100 percent, and make sure that each race was the best that they could do,” Hinze said. “I know, looking at this team, that each of the boys did just that, and I could not be prouder of their efforts.
The Demons turned in some strong swims Saturday at Carthage College.
Bleser comes close
Bailey Bleser finished third in the 500-yard freestyle in 5:05.63. Bleser swam with Ethan Brannen, Jimmy Keeker and Sam Burazin on BC’s fourth-place 200 medley relay (1:46.71).
Bleser finished fourth in the 200 individual medley (2:05.23).
Bleser, a junior at Catholic Central High School, came close to returning to state for a second straight year.
“I put myself in a position to have a chance at state, but unfortunately it wasn’t quite where I wanted to be,” Bleser said. “We had a lot of swimmers this year who had little to no swimming experience at all. For them to be at sectionals, they’ve really grown and done a good job.”
“It’s been a tough season. I had a lot of meets where I didn’t perform to my liking. My 200 IM today was one of my first PR’s. I got myself in a position to have a chance to make state, so I gotta be happy with that.”
Keeker finished eighth in the 100 butterfly (1:00.58). Zach Olstinske, EJ Wright, Payne McCann and Zach Lipecki finished ninth in the 200 freestyle relay (1:41.95) and bested their seed time by more than five seconds.
Lipecki finished 10th in the 100 backstroke (1:05.52).
Burazin finished 11th in the 50 freestyle (23.97) and Brannen finished 12th (1:01.96) in the 100 butterfly.
The Demons scored 146 points as a team. Franklin won the sectional title (428). Southern Lakes Conference rival Badger Co-op finished third (297).
“This was my seniors’ last high school swim meet, and they will be missed next year,” said Hinze, who teaches at Union Grove. “We have bunch of younger swimmers who are excited to fill those leadership roles on next y
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