Linnihan wins two state swim titles
MADISON - Brookfield coach Bill Twitchell is going to miss Michael Linnihan, but he understands why the kid has to go.
“I’d like to think the high school (state) meet is the biggest meet of the year, but a guy like that, he’s got other goals.” Twitchell said.
Linnihan is thinking about the U.S. Olympic Trails and possibly more, and he is so dedicated to the idea that the junior has put the wheels in motion to graduate this spring so that he can devote of his time next year to training.
As a result, Saturday marked the last time he would have a chance to make a mark as a prep swimmer. He made the most of it.
Linnihan, who attends Brookfield Central, was one of the stars of the WIAA Division 1 state meet at UW Natatorium, winning the 200-yard and later the 100 freestyle with times of 1 minute 39.0 seconds and 44.94 seconds, respectively. Both times ranked fourth alltime in the Division 1 state meet.
He also swam the fastest first-leg 50 split in the 200 free relay (20.90), a time that would have earned him a sixthplace medal had he swam it individually.
He came into the meet wanting records in both his individual events – who doesn’t – but went home happy to be a two-time champion.
“If I achieve my goal then it’s not a high-enough goal” he said. “I always aim high and if I didn’t get the state record, I was going to end up being the state champion.”
Linnihan was the area’s star performer at a meet that produced two more area champions, four state records and a second straight team title for Madison West.
After edging Middleton by just a half point at the sectional, the Regents, who got four first-place finishes from senior Wes Jekel, had a comparatively easy time Saturday. They posted 314 points, 57 more than Middleton.
The Big Eight Conference rivals also were responsible for all of the records for the day. West’s 200 medley relay won in 1:30.83 to beat the record of 1:32.35 they set last season, captured the 400 relay in 3:02.24 to beat the old mark of 3:04.94 and Jekel set a new standard in 48.01 to beat the previous time of 48.84. Middleton set a new mark in the 200 free relay (1:23.12) to be the old record of 1:24.96.
The area’s other winners were both No. 1 seeds.
Ben Gabbey, Muskego: The IllinoisC-hicago recruit won the 100 breaststroke in 56.04, the 10th fastest all-time in Division 1 to get the best of a field that included defending champion Henry Miller.
Gabbey made big changes during the offseason when it came to his training and the moves proved golden.
Gabbey, who also took fourth in the 200 individual medley, finished .68 second ahead the runner-up, Madison West junior Charlie Feller. Miller, who took third, wasn't much farther behind
“I just knew I had to get out there in front on that first 50 and too see him that close I knew I had to keep it going on the second 50. … I didn’t want to leave any doubt,” Gabbey said.
Braden Rumpit, Brookfield: The Wisconsin recruit won the diving crown after taking fourth as a sophomore and third last year. His final score was 486.55 to edge Marquette junior Mike Konle (476.65).
Rumpit followed in his brother Connor’s footsteps by winning a state championship. Connor was the 500 free winner in 2016.
Twitchell pointed to the consistency of his dives as the key to the win. Rumpit touched on that as well as a couple of skills he added this year.
“I really worked on my twists this season,” he said. “I got two new twisters and then just improving the consistency.” Linnihan also followed in his brother’s footsteps by winning a state title. Ryan Linnihan was the state 50 free champion two years ago.
Before Michael Linnihan added more medals to the family mantle, he got an assist from his mother, who drove from Madison to Brown Deer and back to buy some trunks after the ones Linnihan ordered didn’t come as expected.
That may have been the most adversity he endured all day. He started the afternoon with a victory in the 200 free, the harder of his two individual races, using a lesson learned from last season's third-place finish to help him win.
“Last year I came into this meet and won the first 150 yards of it. I didn’t have anything left in the last 50,” he recalled. “I wanted to play it a little more conservative this year, so that wouldn’t happen.”
He later won the 100 free by .45 seconds and helped the team take fifth in the 200 free relay and fifth in the 400 relays.
It was a fun run. Linnihan will miss it. “I want to thank my coaches and teammates. I’m super-grateful for them,” he said. “Behind every swimming is a high-performance family, a highperformance team and they’ve bee super-supportive of me.”