Co-Op Settles For Second at State Swim Meet

The Waukesha South/Catholic Memorial boys swim team’s reign as state champion ended after one year, and the team to take the title away is no stranger to being on top.

Madison Memorial tallied 234.5 points to beat 2010 state champion Waukesha South/Memorial’s 192 at the WIAA Division 1 State Meet at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Natatorium in Madison on Saturday.

Last year, Waukesha South/Memorial defeated Madison Memorial, 197-183, to win the title.

Madison Memorial has finished first or second at the meet in each of the last 11 years and won its fifth title in the last seven seasons.

Junior Noah Potratz earned Waukesha South/Memorial’s only win in the co-op’s most successful and lucrative event, the 500-yard freestyle. Potratz was first in 4 minutes, 37.59 seconds, edging Appleton North/East’s Alex Bryson’s runner-up time of 4:38.46.

Following Bryson were Waukesha South/ Memorial’s Ryan Finke, a senior, in third in 4:41.38, and senior Max Evans-Nolan, a senior, in fourth in 4:41.93. The trio accounted for 51 points.

The co-op also had a huge showing in the 200 free. Evans-Nolan took fifth in 1:44.08, Potratz sixth in 1:44.20 and Finke eighth in 1:44.58.

Sophomore Alex Swain placed in two individual events, taking sixth in the 50 free (21.80) and ninth in the 100 free (48.45). He also teamed with Evans-Nolan, Finke and Potratz for sixth in the 400 free relay (3:13.76) and with senior Daniel Streater, Finke and freshman Alec Carlson for seventh in the 200 free (1:28.70).

Also scoring points for Waukesha South/Memorial were:

• Freshman Alec Carson, seniors Derrick Rendon, Daniel Streater and Evans-Nolan, ninth, 200 medley relay, 1:39.51.
• Streater, 11th, 100 backstroke, 54.71.
• Streater, 14th, 100 butterfly, 52.74.
• Carlson, 15th, 100 back, 55.59.
• Rendon, 15th, 100 breaststroke, 1:00.96.

The Waukesha West/Mukwonago co-op, which placed 20th with 27 points, was led by sophomore David Wright. He kicked off his day with a ninth-place swim in the 200 free (1:46.77) and added a 13th-place effort in the 100 free (48.95).

He later joined seniors Jack Chovanec and Kyle Rust and junior JJ Melville for 12th in the 400 free relay (3:19.49).

Melville added a 12th-place time in the 200 individual medley (1:59.80).

The Waukesha North/Kettle Moraine co-op placed in two events and took 27th. Senior diver Billy Fank was ninth with 352.10 points and senior Brandon Stedman took 10th in the 100 breast (59.64).