South relay looking for another top finish at state meet

Glenbrook South's Michael Dominick gets off to a flying start Saturday in the 50 freestyle during the CSL South Boys Swim Meet.
(Joel Lerner/Staff Photographer)

Font Size

Email

Bookmark

Black Text

White Text

A few members of Glenbrook South's 200-yard freestyle relay believe they are on track toward another top finish at the state meet.

Dominik Cubelic, Ryan Bach, Ben Hengels and Chris DeLetto beat New Trier's Joe Jeffers, Kyle Grant, Nick Killeen and Sam Metz Saturday to win the event at the CSL South meet at Niles West.

The Titans (1:27.31) finished well under the state qualifying mark of 1:29.38 and held a significant lead over runner-up New Trier (1:28.44). The Trevians (425), the favorite and host for the state meet beginning Feb. 27, easily beat GBS (254) for the conference title.

New Trier's relay was ranked ahead of GBS as of Feb. 6 with a 1:28.24 time, according to Illinois Top Times. The Titans closed the gap on top-ranked Neuqua Valley (1:26.71) entering the Glenbrook North Sectional, which begins at 1 p.m. Saturday.

"I'm pretty pumped about that relay," Hengels said. "All four guys have got a chance to drop a lot of time at the state meet."

Hengels finished second in the 200 individual medley (1:59.42) and fifth in the 500 free (4:52.72). Hengels, Cubelic and DeLetto return from last year's 200 free relay, which finished second to Neuqua Valley at the state meet. Last year's relay was the state meet's top finisher for third-place GBS. Bach is the newcomer this year, taking over for graduate Colin Cordes.

"Me and Ben, we know where we are," Cubelic said. "We know what we can do (to drop times). DeLetto and Bach have room for improvement."

Cubelic said DeLetto and Bach were the reason behind the relay's strong, late-season finish.

"We all agree that we want to win state with that particular relay," Cubelic said.

Cubelic was GBS' only two-time individual winner in the CSL South meet. He won the 50 free (21.50) and 100 back (53.18). Cubelic's times are among the state's top five in each event.

Diver Woody Lord will attempt to earn his second consecutive state meet trip after finishing 45th a year ago. The diving competition at GBN begins at 9 a.m. Lord (389.50) finished third in the conference behind New Trier's Michael Ross (457.45) and Jordan Sacks (397.40). South's Adam Klosowiak (374.75) was fourth.

GBS coach Keith MacDonald singled out Zach Demeritzis (100 fly) and Robby Regalbuto (100 breast) as having solid conference meets. The teammates each finished seventh in their events.