The Badger High School boys swim teams set two pool records during their conference dual meet at home against Beloit Memorial High School on Jan. 13.
The 200-yard freestyle varsity relay team, which included junior Will Larkin, senior Travis Warren, senior Hunter McKittrick and senior Colton Clark, finished in 1:29.19, breaking the record of 1:29.86 set in 2021.
"I know there's definitely a lot of improvement in that pool record," McKittrick said. "I think we all looked at the times we went, oh, we could have gone faster there. So I think maybe in a later dual meet, a later home meet, we could make our own pool record. And then, as far as later in the season, we hope to place top three at the state championships with our relay."
Junior Steele Whowell Jr. set a new 100-yard varsity backstroke record at 51.99, besting the time of 54.22 set by his cousin Thomas Whowell in 2022.
"I did it by a good amount, so I'm happy, and from where he goes to college, it helps me see where I can go," Whowell said. "Next time I see him, I'll definitely hit him up."
Overall, the junior varsity team beat Beloit Memorial 26-2 and the varsity team defeated the Purple Knight squad 110-46.
"Another great home meet, some really fast swims out there," head coach Steele Whowell said. "That brought a lot of excitement to the meet tonight. This pool has had some fast swimmers in it, so to get those pool records is a pretty big deal."
Several Badger swimmers also recorded personal best times during the meet.
"That's really fun to see, especially for some of the swimmers that are fairly new to the sport," the coach said. "The progress that they're seeing and getting better is really exciting."
Results
Personal best times are designated with an asterisk.
200 Medley Relay
First place: Hunter McKittrick, Colton Clark, Travis Warren and Sam Reed
Third place: Eli Barriga, Haryki Ono, Lucas Pan and Hunter Smotherman
200 Freestyle
First place: Colton Clark; second place: Will Larkin; fifth place: Henry Zabowski
200 IM
First place: Steele Whowell*
50 Freestyle Junior Varsity
First place: Tyler Moe*; second place: Eli Barriga*, third place: Logan Hepker*
50 Freestyle Varsity
First place: Sam Reed*; third place: Lucas Pan*; fifth place: Hunter Smotherman*
100 Butterfly
First place: Hunter McKittrick
100 Freestyle Junior Varsity
First place: Tyler Moe*; second place: Haryki Ono*; third place: Logan Hepker*
100 Freestyle
Varsity First place: Will Larkin; second place: Travis Warren*; third place: Henry Zabowski*
500 Freestyle
First place: Sam Reed; second place: Lucas Pan*
200 Freestyle Relay
First place: Will Larkin, Travis Warren, Hunter McKittrick and Colton Clark (pool record)
Third place: Henry Zabowski, Logan Hepker, Tyler Moe and Grant Stricker
100 Backstroke
First place: Steele Whowell* (pool record); second place: Eli Barriga, third place: Hunter Smotherman
100 Breaststroke
First place: Travis Warren; second place: Colton Clark; fifth place: Haryki Ono
400 Freestyle Relay
First place: Hunter McKittrick, Steele Whowell, Will Larkin and Sam Reed.
Third place: Henry Zabowski, Lucas Pan, Eli Barriga and Hunter Smotherman.
Fourth place: Grant Stricker, Logan Hepker, Tyler Moe and Haryki Ono
