This past Saturday, Warren’s boys swim and dive team competed in the IHSA Sectional Meet at Libertyville High School. After three months of hard work, the team truly showed what it means to be dedicated. They cheered each other on during every race and made a consistent effort to support their fellow competitors.
There were many time drops across the team. Some of the best individual performances included Luke Bernstein (sophomore), who swam a 1:01.99 in the 100 butterfly; Luke Jarosz (freshman), who finished the 100 backstroke in 1:04.55; Max Lawing (sophomore), who recorded a 1:59.41 in the 200 freestyle; Dash Rutzen (Senior), who swam a 2:30.38 in the 200 individual medley; and Jose Gomez (freshman), who posted a 25.70 in the 50 freestyle.
The team also showcased strong relay performances. In the 200 medley relay, freshman Luke Jarosz led off with a solid 29.52 in the backstroke leg. Breaststroker Dash Rutzen then brought the team up to second place in their heat with a 33.37 split. Next, Luke Bernstein swam a 28.62 in the butterfly leg, setting up the final portion of the relay for success. Sam Pharris finished the relay strong with a 24.52 in the 50 freestyle.
Although the team was tired after a long day of competition, they demonstrated their ability to finish strong in the final event of the meet: the 400 freestyle relay. Max Lawing started off with an outstanding 55.20 split. Blake DeJong followed with a 1:00.25, and Luke Jarosz continued the momentum with a 58.94. Finally, Jose Gomez secured a second-place finish in their heat with a 57.51 split.
In addition to the team’s swimming performances, freshman diver Adrian Barit delivered an impressive showing. After only one season of high school diving, Barit scored a 263.40 and placed 12th overall.
None of this would have been possible without the support of the team’s dedicated coaches. Special thanks to Coach Lobitz, Coach Amerein, Coach Bush, and Coach O’Neill for their commitment throughout the season.
The team has developed valuable skills, grown within their sport, and demonstrated what it means to embody the Warren Way in school-sponsored activities. The future looks bright for these up-and-coming athletes.
