The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
Hawken completes team sweep at D-II state
CANTON >> Hawken’s day Feb. 25 during the Division II state meet had a bit of a top-40 radio station feel to it.
As always, the Hawks spun the hits.
But as far as hitting the right notes, Angus Williams brought the energy in morning drive with a title in diving — and the seniorladen swim squad took it home in drive time to complete a validating day of work.
Hawken bookended the girls’ 23rd straight state team title at Canton McKinley’s Branin Natatorium with a championship team performance on the boys side, recording 228 points in a runaway from Indian Hill (145) and University (137).
“It means so much,” Hawks senior stalwart Alex Podrez said, as his teammates took pictures by the blocks behind him. “I’ve been training with these guys for four years. I know how much work we’ve all put in. Swimming with these guys every single day, getting the gold trophy means so much.
“Angus’ win is crucial. I am super proud of him for stepping up and getting the gold. He was the only individual gold medalist for the Hawken swimming and diving team, and we are forever indebted to him.”
Hawken put an exclamation on a team crown that was essentially in hand after 500-yard freestyle — in which Michael Butler took third and Will Dietz bumped up from the second heat to fifth — with a hammer of a 400 free relay.
In that meet finale, the Hawks won the lone event title of the swimming portion of the meet with a time of 3 minutes, 10.32 seconds.
Podrez got last-swim honors, anchoring in 46.54 for his ninth career top three at state to cap a decorated career. It marks the third time Hawken has won a state title in boys 400 free relay, along with 1986 and 2017. Podrez was also 200 individual medley runner-up with a 1:51.58 and hit a 21.09 free anchor on the third-place 200 medley relay.
“Well, if I’m being completely honest, we did not swim very well at district,” Butler said. “But our whole motto going into tonight was positive point swings. It was what we were going for from the outset.
“We knew we had a lead, because Angus went out there and won the diving, which is fantastic for us. And then everyone else just showed up, moved up places. I don’t think we had anyone move down places that already wasn’t not pointing. So it was just positive point swings. It’s how you win a state championship.”
Connor Brown also had a fine meet in his Hawken swansong, with a fourth in 200 IM (1:53.86) and a fifth in 100 back (51.87), leapfrogging to the podium from the second heat.
Podrez and the Hawks knew the trophy was essentially in hand as he hit the water on anchor of 400 free relay. Albeit with a task at hand, Podrez took the time to appreciate the run on which Hawken has been.
“That was one of the things I thought of,” Podrez said. “This was my last swim wearing a Hawken cap, and I want to go out with a bang. That was going through my head, and I wanted to finish strong and secure that gold.”
Gold may very well be in University’s future after yeoman work in Canton in 2021. The Preppers, returning no state qualifiers from last winter, had a young squad mature at the most opportune time in taking that aforementioned third as a team.
Arguably nowhere was that can-do spirit embodied more than by Spencer Ernst. The junior was in the second heat of 500 free and jumped all the way to fourth overall with a 4:42.63, the 11th state topfour all-time for US in that event.
Ernst then shifted quickly to 200 free relay, delivering a 21.85 third split as the Preppers took third with a 1:28.93. He was a sprinter last year as a sophomore before transitioning to sprint free this season.
US then finished the meet in style with a fourth in 400 free relay in 3:13.83.
“It is an absolutely amazing feeling,” Ernst said. “You look at what we did last year at district, the guys that we have coming back, we have an eighth place, a 12th place. And now we’re taking top three, top four? It’s just an amazing feeling. (Dropping) 30 seconds over the course of five swims in the 500? That’s a great feeling.
“I thank our one senior, Ethan Jiang. He’s definitely done everything for this team. But we’re coming back swinging.”
Coming soon
For more from this meet, including Chris Lillstrung’s annual by-the-numbers look at D-II state competition, check back in the coming days on News-Herald.com and in our print edition.