Grafton swimmers crack the top 10

The Grafton High School boys’ swim and dive team exceeded expectations in unique circumstances at last Friday’s Division 2 state meet at the University of Wisconsin Natatorium.

The Black Hawks placed ninth with 96 points, just behind Kiel/Elkhart Lake-Glenbeulah’s 100.

Edgewood ran away with the meet with 289 points. Monona Grove was second with 184.

Grafton senior Nick Starr led the way by placing fourth in the 100-yard butterfly in 52.82 seconds and fifth in the 200 individual medley in 1:58.99, an improvement over last year’s sixth place in the event.

Junior diver Ben Niswonger took fourth with 385.1 points, 81 points better than lat year when he placed 12th.

The Black Hawks were led by longtime coach Mark Minz, who filled in for coach Kathy Seitz, who had been filling in for him.

Minz took the year off to care for his mother. Seitz, his assistant coach, had led the team this season but wasn’t feeling well on Friday. Minz knew all the swimmers from last year and from attending home meets this season.

He was impressed with their performance. The Hawks beat out all of their North Shore Conference competitors — Whitefish Bay was one point back in 10th place and Cedarburg had 88 points for  11th — and beat three of the four teams that finished ahead of them at the sectional meet.

“I thought we went a little above and beyond,” Minz said. “They did a really nice job.”

Besides Starr’s individual placements, he helped two relays. The 200 medley team of senior Gaven Depies, Starr, senior Trevor Bodart and junior Michael O’Connor was seventh in 1:41.2. Three of the swimmers — everyone but O’Connor — along with Matthew Fischer took ninth in the event last year.

 The 400 freestyle team of Bodart, Depies, O’Connor and Starr was ninth in 3:21.71.

“He’s been doing nothing but improving,” Minz said of Starr.

Depies was 13th in the 100 backstroke in 57.85 and 16th in the 200 individual medley in 2:07.09.

Caden Starr took 12th in diving with 278.55 points.

Minz, who plans to return to lead the Hawks next year, said losing Nick Starr, Depies and Bodart to graduation will be difficult.

“It will be hard to fill those gaps in our lineup next year. Their dedication to the team was an inspiration to their peers,” he said.

Port Washington qualified four divers for state, two of whom placed in the top six.

Cale Theis led the Pirates by placing third for the second straight season with 390.85 points. Edgewood’s defending state champion Ben Stitgen was first with 458.65, and Cedarburg’s Garrett Gonwa was second with 445.95.

“He was a little off on a couple of dives, but he has such an amazing natural talent and ability for the sport. With more training, confidence and consistency, I feel he can challenge for that top spot next season,” diving coach Dennis Hubert said of Theis.

Port senior Garrett Friede was sixth with 360.8 points — up from 13th last year —  and junior Roger Schmidt was 10th with 331.15. Sophomore Dagan Daniels was 14th with 265.25 points.

Hubert coached nine of the 15 divers at state — qualifiers from Port, Grafton and Cedarburg.

“I was quite proud and pleased with everyone’s diving at the meet. The improvement by everyone from last year to this state meet was awesome to see,” Hubert said.

Beyond the success, the divers, despite competing against each other, support one another.

“The camaraderie with all the guys I coach was great to see,” Hubert said.