Mahomet-Seymour swimmers continue to break school records

By Fred Kroner

Aron Varga’s school-record time in the 50-yard freestyle lasted all of two days for the Mahomet-Seymour senior.

Varga broke a seven-year-old record on Thursday (Jan. 11), clocking a 22.78-second mark. On Saturday (Jan. 13) in a dual meet at Centennial, teammate Emmett Kearns lowered the 50-yard freestyle standard to 22.48 seconds.

The Bulldogs also shattered a relay record in the 84-74 dual-meet loss to Centennial.

The 200-yard freestyle relay record – which had held since 2017 – was reduced from 1:34.20 to 1:33.79 by Varga, Emmett Kearns, Matthew Kirby and Owen Kearns.

The previous record-holders were Andrew Smith, Erik Giles, William Larson and Joshua Ekberg.

Varga and Owen Kearns each captured wins in two individual events.

Varga was first in the 100-yard butterfly (55.91 seconds) and the 100-yard breaststroke (1:03.81).

Owen Kearns added wins in the 200-yard freestyle (1:51.41) as well as the 500-yard freestyle (5:04.26).

Also winning was the Bulldogs’ 400-yard freestyle relay foursome of Owen Kearns, Emmett Kearns, Arya Malapaka and Varga. Their combined time was 3:38.94.

Kirby secured runner-up finishes in two events, the 200-yard freestyle (2:11.41) and the 100-yard backstroke (1:04.87).

Other runner-up finishers for M-S were Malapaka (200-yard individual medley in 2:26.10) and Emmett Kearns (100-yad freestyle, 50.85 seconds).

The Bulldogs’ 200-yard medley relay unit of Evan Powell, Malapaka, Jonathan Andrawes and Lukas Holleman finished third in 2:07.64.

On Thursday (Jan. 11), seniors Owen Kearns and Varga set M-S school records in a four-school meet at Normal West.

For the second time this season, Kearns broke the 100-yard backstroke event, winning the event in 57.40 seconds. His previous record was 57.74.

Varga shattered a six-year-old mark in the 50-yard freestyle, recording a winning time of 22.78 seconds. The previous mark was owned by Andrew Smith in 2017, at 22.83.

Overall, the Bulldogs won nine of 12 events.

Kearns and Varga also won a second individual event. Kearns was triumphant in the 100-yard butterfly (54.78 seconds). Varga was victorious in the 500-yard freestyle (5:16.38).

The other double individual winner for M-S was Kearns. He prevailed in the 100-yard freestyle (50.94 seconds) and the 100-yard breaststroke (1:09.00).

Also winning an event for M-S was Malapaka. He was first to finish in the 200-yard freestyle (2:08.38) as well as fourth in the 100-yard breaststroke (1:13.91).

Two M-S relays – featuring the same swimmers, just in a different order, also swam to victory.

The 200-yard medley unit, featuring Kirby, Varga, Owen Kearns and Emmett Kearns won with a time of 1:45.65.

In the 200-yard freestyle relay, the same foursome registered a time of 1:35.59.

Other individual  top-five finishes for the Bulldogs were by Powell (fourth in the 200-yard freestyle in 2:16.02) and by Kirby in the 100-yard backstroke (fifth in 1:04.59).

In the team chase, Normal West was first (170), followed by Centennial (134), M-S (132) and Bloomington (83).

“The boys have really started to turn a corner and show improvement in areas that we’ve been focusing on in practice,” M-S coach Erich O’Donnell said. “While the final score didn’t reflect the best outcome, I feel we are setting ourselves up for a tremendous outcome at the end of our season in just a few weeks.”

The Bulldogs (4-5) return to action on Thursday (Jan. 18) at Urbana in a meet that will also include Charleston.