By Chris Bennett
Correspondent
Kyle Gorst finished fourth in two events and helped lead the Elkhorn Area High School boys swim team to a fourth-place finish Jan. 31 in the Racine Invitational at Racine Case High School.
The Elks competed as the only Division 2 team in the 11-team field. Elkhorn scored 261 points. Case won the meet with a team total of 412 points.
Janesville Parker finished second (344.5) and Lake Geneva Badger third (301). Racine Horlick finished fifth (228), Kenosha Bradford sixth (205) and Burlington Co-op seventh (203).
Racine Park came in eighth (107.5), Watertown ninth (103), Kenosha Indian Trail 10th (90) and West Allis 11th (49).
The Elks finished 13th at the same meet in 2014.
“Obviously, a lot of kids are going faster than they were last year, and that’s always good,” Elks coach Jamie Richardson said. “I was actually really pleased with that. That was good to see. We had some good times and some really good swims. It’s nice place to be as we head into the postseason.”
Elkhorn swims Saturday in the Southern Lakes Conference Swimming Meet at UW-Platteville. The Elks compete Feb. 14 in a WIAA Division 2 sectional meet at Whitefish Bay High School for berths in the WIAA Division 2 State Swimming and Diving Meet Feb. 20 at University of Wisconsin Natatorium.
At the Racine Invitational, Gorst finished fourth in the 100-yard backstroke in 1 minute, 2.52 minutes and fourth in the 200 freestyle (1:59.43).
Richardson said Gorst turned well and maintained a good turnover rate and strong kick in the 200. Turnover rate marks the number of strokes a swimmer uses. In the backstroke, Richardson said Gorst chased down a competitor at the end to finish fourth.
Brenden Finley finished fifth in the 100 breaststroke (1:09.03).
“He’s swimming really well right now, and we’re not tapered, so that’s a really respectable time right now as we head into the postseason,” Richardson said.
Logan Radlein finished sixth in the 200 individual medley (2:21.60) and 100 butterfly (1:02.77).
“He had another good day,” Richardson said. “Things are coming together. He’s a strong competitor, and he’s worked hard all season. That’s the difference here – the time you put in prior to tapering.”
Tapering is when swimmers swim less in the days before a big competition, in an effort to conserve energy and refine their stoke. High school swimmers in this area will typically taper before conference or sectional and state meets.
Eli Burtard finished sixth in the 200 freestyle (2:02.11) and swam with Gorst, Finley and Brett Schmieden on the Elks’ sixth-place 200 medley relay (1:52.76). William Pyle, Connor LaFavor, Finley and Gorst finished sixth in the 400 freestyle relay (3:44.53).
The Elks finished third at last season’s SLC Swimming Meet. Richardson said Badger Co-op, Burlington Co-op and Whitewater, among others, all have strong swimmers.
“I think we’re finding our groove a little bit, and that’s important as we head into the postseason,” Richardson said. “We’re coming together.”
