CK Repeats as State Swim/Dive Champions
ROCHESTER - Having won the school’s first ever title in 2014, the Cranbrook Boys Swim and Dive team came into this season with one clear goal - to repeat as State Champs. Expectations had been running high all year, however top competitors Chelsea, East Grand Rapids, and Hamilton all had posted great times throughout the dual meet season. “We felt very pressured by both EGR and Chelsea and I think that feeling them breathing down our necks really helped us achieve what we did” said co-captain Alessandro Guttilla. The Cranes brought a strong team to the meet with 15 swimmers and 1 diver, however what happened during the prelims no one could have expected.
The boys qualified a combined 30 out of 32 chances to advance to the finals on Saturday, including 4 in the top eight of the 500 Free and 3 in the top eight of the 200 Free and 100 Breast. Cranbrook had multiple swimmers in every swimming event Saturday. “I couldn't be happier, it was unbelievable” Cranbrook coach Karl Hodgson said. “The first sign I saw was in the medley (relay). When I saw them go the (record time) there, I said, ‘All right, this looks good.’” It did look good.
The momentum established on Friday carried into Saturday where CK brought wave after wave of swimmers to the Finals and swam away with the victory scoring 430 points. Hodgson was beside himself with how the team performed. “I knew we were going to swim fast, but nothing like this. I’m still shocked” said Hodgson. The next closest competitors were Chelsea (299.5), East Grand Rapids (248), and Hamilton (215).
Cranbrook set the tone early by breaking the D3 record in the 200 Medley Relay when the team of Buccalo, DelGrosso, Guan, and Frankie Misra swam a 1:33.89. “As a team we never considered ourselves shoe-ins for the win, and I think that’s what kept us driven, what kept us motivated to push well above and beyond even the wildest of expectations” said co-captain Frankie Misra.
In the 200 Free, the Cranes went 2, 3, 4 behind the power of Alessandro Guttilla (1:41.50), Andrew Trunsky (1:43.74), and Andrew Guan (1:44.02). Sophomore Wills Reasoner scored in 16th place in 1:49.69.
Mitch Buccalo set a new D3 record in the 200 IM with a winning time of 1:50.55 to defend his 2014 state title, while teammate Giorgio DelGrosso took home 3rd place honors with a time of 1:54.33. Freshman Kevin Hao added to the scoring with a strong 10th place finish (2:02.68).
With the IM win and 2 relay wins, Buccalo went on to win the Division 3 Swimmer of the Year honors. “Being named Swimmer of the Year was confirmation that my lifetime of work had really paid off. It’s an honor to be given that recognition” said co-captain Buccalo. “(It took) a team that really understands what it means to care for each other - what it takes to win. There’s a difference between winning and the whole team winning. For the whole team winning it takes every single person.”
There was probably no better example of this team spirit than in the 50 Freestyle. Coming into the prelims Friday, the Cranes were seeded 25th, 35th, and 38th. Coming out Saturday, Spencer Keoleian (22.20), Michael McLaughlan (22.19), and Matthew Yang (22.20) had jumped up to finish an amazing 8th, 9th, and 11th.
In the 100 Fly, Buccalo (50.37) and Guan (52.07) teamed up to finish 3rd and 5th, while the consolation final saw Spencer Keoleian (54.23) and Noah Momblanco (55.75) take 10th and 13th.
Frankie Misra switched to the 100 Free this year and ended up 4th with a time of 47.84. Teammates Eric Youshao (48.06) and McLaughlan (49.05) finished 10th and 13th.
The officials in the ready room were little confused before the 500 Free when a crowd of CK swimmers gathered. Turned out the Cranes qualified 4 boys for the championship heat including Guttilla. “The 500 was one of the most fun heats I’ve ever swam. Just to have all the guys that I’ve been training with all year with me was a great experience” said Guttilla.
Junior Andrew Trunsky ran away from the field winning his first individual state championship in the 500 Free with a time of 4:37.12 and setting a new CK record. Teammates Alessandro Guttilla finished 3rd (4:40.92), Lucas Misra took 4th (4:44.43) and Wills Reasoner completed the domination with a 6th place finish (4:49.36).
“It felt amazing to win, especially because I had trained so hard for it…since states last year” Trunsky said. When asked what was going through his mind, “I was thinking about how hard I had worked, and how I wasn't going to back down….I knew that if I got out ahead early, I would have enough at the end to hold everybody off…once I was ahead, I knew I had it.”
In the 200 Free Relay, the team of Giorgio DelGrosso, Matthew Yang, Michael McLaughlan, and Alessandro Guttilla broke a Cranbrook team record and finished 3rd in 1:26.87.
Frankie Misra placed 7th in the 100 Back (54.03), while Eric Youshao won the consolation final good for 9th overall in an impressive time of 53.63 and Lucas Misra finished 11th (54.45).
The third individual state champ from Cranbrook was crowned when Giorgio DelGrosso won the 100 Breast with a Cranbrook record time of 56.58. Matthew Yang (59.99) and Kevin Hao (1:01.23) finished 7th and 8th.
DelGrosso had been thinking about this race since last year when he finished 3rd. “All I could think about during my race was how my season boiled down to this one swim, my last swim of the meet. I knew I had a chance to win the title”….”Absolutely nothing beats the feeling of looking up after a race and seeing a ‘1’ or ‘first place’ next to your name” said DelGrosso.
Cranbrook perhaps saved the best for last, when junior Andrew Guan along with senior team co-captains Frankie Misra, Alessandro Guttilla, and Mitch Buccalo blew away the D3 State Record in the 400 Free Relay with a sizzling time of 3:06.15. It was the 4th State Relay title of Guan’s career. Guan noted that “being part of two record setting relays (today) was the true embodiment of my bond and love for the swim team….the team atmosphere gave me the inner strength to do whatever I can to bring home a state victory.”
It was also a great way to cap off the seniors’ high school swimming careers. Each noting it was particularly special to do it together. “The highlight (of the meet) was winning the 400 Free Relay…We had a target on our backs and weren't going to take that event lightly…We laid everything on the line Saturday and smashed our prelims time and went All-American” said Buccalo. Guttilla noted “Frankie, Mitch, Guan and I have been on that relay for so long and to just go out there and tear it up was just incredible.” Misra noted that he, Guan, and Guttilla held this title back in 2013, but lost it last year. That seemed to have left a mark on Frankie. “Losing the 400 Free Relay (in 2014) was instrumental in giving me motivation for this year to reclaim the title. So to have finished my high school swimming career regaining the (title) along with (the Div. 3 record) and in All-American time was without a doubt a spectacular feeling.”
By the time Cranbrook hoisted the Championship trophy, the Cranes had crowned 3 individual state champs, 2 relay state champs, set 3 Division III State Records, broke 6 Cranbrook records, posted 2 All-American consideration cuts, achieved 3 All-American automatic cuts, Mitch Buccalo earned Division III Swimmer of the Year, and Coach Karl Hodgson earned Swim Coach of the Year.
Congratulations to all of the CK Swimmers and Diver, coaches, families, supporters, and friends on such a wonderful season. The future looks very bright!
See full results below.
200 Medley Relay
1st - Buccalo, DelGrosso, Guan, F. Misra - 1:33.89 (State Champs, CK Record, D3 State Record, All-American)
200 Free
2nd - Alessandro Guttilla - 1:41.50
3rd - Andrew Trunsky - 1:43.74
4th - Andrew Guan - 1:44.02
16th - Wills Reasoner - 1:49.69
200 Individual Medlay
1st - Mitch Buccalo - 1:50.55 (State Champ, CK Record, D3 State Record, All-American)
3rd - Giogio DelGrosso - 1:54.33
10th - Kevin Hao - 2:02.68
50 Free
8th - Spencer Keoleian - 22.20
9th - Michael McLaughlan - 22.19
11th - Matthew Yang - 22.20
Diving
27th - Grant Glover
100 Fly
3rd - Buccalo - 50.37 (All-American Consideration)
5th - Guan - 52.07
10th - Keoleian - 54.23
13th - Momblanco - 55.75
100 Free
4th - F. Misra - 47.84
10th - Youshao - 48.06
13th - McLaughlan - 49.05
500 Free
1st - Trunsky - 4:37.12 (State Champ, CK Record)
3rd - A. Guttilla - 4:40.92
4th - L. Misra - 4:44.43
6th - Reasoner - 4:49.36
200 Free Relay
3rd - DelGrosso, Yang, McLaughlan, A. Guttilla - 1:26.87 (CK Record)
100 Back
7th - F. Misra - 54.03
9th - Youshao - 53.63
11th - L. Misra - 54.45
100 Breast
1st - DelGrosso - 56.58 (State Champ, CK Record, All-American Consideration)
7th - Yang - 59.99
8th - Hao - 1:01.23
20th - Giorgio Guttilla - 1:03.98
400 Free Relay
1st - Guan, F. Misra, A. Guttilla, Buccalo - 3:06.15 (State Champs, CK Record, D3 State Record, All-American)
Div. 3 State Champs
Cranbrook - 430 points
Div. 3 Swimmer of the Year
Mitch Buccalo - Cranbrook
Div. 3 Swim Coach of the Year
Karl Hodgson - Cranbrook
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Hoisting the hardware
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Team Celebration
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Buccalo in 200 IM
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Misra touches the wall in 200 Medley Relay
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Trunsky wins 500 Free title, with A.Guttilla, Lucas Misra, and Wills Reasoner
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DelGrosso hammers home the 100 Breast
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Record setting 400 Free Relay
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2015 State Team
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Trophy - Dry
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Outstanding CK cheering section
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(248) 645-3000
