Alton sophomore Noah Clancy won his first IHSA state swim medal Saturday when he was ninth in the 100 backstroke at the IHSA Boys State Meet in Evanston. Clancy, last year’s Telegraph Swimmer of the Year, finished third in Saturday’s consolation finals good for ninth overall.
Billy Hurst file photo | For The Telegraph
EVANSTON — Alton’s Noah Clancy captured his first state swim medal Saturday and was involved in his second bang-bang finish at the wall in as many days.
Clancy, a sophomore, was third in the 100-yard backstroke consolation final and ninth overall at the IHSA Boys State Swim Meet at Evanston Township High School.
“I felt pretty good,” Clancy said. “When you get to the last day at the state meet, there aren’t any slow swimmers. You have to go all out.”
Clancy, led early in the race and had a shot at the win in the consolation final, but was out-touched at the wall by Oak Park’s Will Raidt and Mascoutah’s Cole Junker.
Raidt won the race in 50.37 seconds. Junker finished in a time of 50.55 and Clancy in 50.68, just ahead of Waubonsie’s Jared Simpson’s 50.80.
Jaden Olson of Jones Prep was 11th in 50.95 and Tadzio Kurka was 12th in 51.87.
“I was tired at the end,” Clancy said. “My strategy was to maybe get a faster start, but to go for an all-out sprint.”
Clancy becomes the first Alton High boy to win a state swim medal and the first AHS swimmer to do so since Maddie Monroe finished third in the girls 100 freestyle in 2012. Monroe, who went on to swim at the University of Arkansas, won two state medals. She was ninth in the 100 freestyle in 2011.
Clancy lowered his time from Friday prelims when he swam a 50.76 and finished eighth. The top six prelim finishers advanced top the championship finals and the second six to the consolation finals.
“I dropped time again,” Clancy said, “and that important at meet like this.”
Friday, Clancy was on track for a spot in the championship finals until a pair of swimmers, Spencer Walker of Lyons and Caleb Carson of Byron, broke the state record in the last heat and knocked Simpson and Clancy to the consolation finals.
Walker won the state championship in the backstroke in 48.11. Patrick Gridley of New Trier was second in 49.08 and Carlson was third in 49.15. Two other swimmers, Brett Spires of Pontiac and Mitchell Milosch of St. Charles East also came in under 50 seconds in the championship final, while Benjamin Kimmel of Lake Park was sixth in 50.43.
New Trier edged Lyons 129-124.5 to win the last event, the 400-yard freestyle relay, and as a result, edged Lyons for the team crown. Hinsdale Central was third in the team race with 102.5 points.
