By Molly Mueller

Sports Editor

The Prospect boys’ swim and dive team marked the halfway point in their season with another MSL East win under their belt. The team continued their perfect 4-0 dual meet record with the win against Elk Grove. The Knights also won both the St. Viator and Rolling Meadows invites earlier in the season to have an overall record of 6-0.

Junior Michael Morikado (first in both the 200 yard freestyle and 100 yard butterfly) thought the meet went well and Prospect had a strong showing.

“[Elk Grove] had a few top swimmers and we had some good races, like our freestyle relays,” Morikado said. “[The relays] were close and [Elk Grove] out touched us in both so I think that will motivate us a little more to make sure we don’t get beat the next time.”

The boys beat Elk Grove 120-64, putting Prospect one step closer to winning the MSL East.

“We want to win every meet regardless, just because it’s important for team psyche and having that winning tradition,” varsity coach Alfonso Lopez said. “But it’s the MSL East wins that we need to have.”

According to Lopez, working hard is the key factor to winning the MSL East.

“Hard work,” Lopez said. “That sounds so cliche, but hard work, determination and focus. I think the reason we’re succeeding is that the team is really focused, from top to bottom. There’s a lot of competition for spots and people are pushing each other. I think last year really motivated a lot of kids in the offseason and in turn they come in motivated kids because they are in such good shape. I think they are enjoying their success, but at the same time not being content with the fact that they are winning their dual meets. Focus and hard work. That’s what it’s going to take.”

The Knights still have to face three MSL East teams to claim the championship: Rolling Meadows (1/17), Wheeling (1/24) and Hersey (1/30).

“The goal is to win as many meets as possible,” Lopez said. “I don’t think it’s realistic to say we’ll win every invite coming up and that’s ok. [We need to] get the team focused and train hard, set ourselves up for success and then really try to clean up in the MSL East and win our dual meets and see where we end up in the end and hopefully we should be fine.”

Varsity Results

200 yd medley relay

1. PHS: Sam Gabriel, Isaac Ginnodo, Tyler Culliton, Jake Holycross – 1:47.51

2. PHS: Ryan Lakner, Nick Partipilo, Ben Szafarz, Jack Gabriel – 1:57.12

3. EGHS: Hlavin, Banasik, Doruff, Linares – 2:03.30

4. EGHS: Hunt, Fragoso, Morales, Zenkich – 2:14.76

200 yd freestyle

1. PHS: Michael Morikado – 1:54.98

2. PHS: Nathanael Ginnodo – 1:56.77

3. EGHS: Doruff – 2:02.75

4. PHS: Alex Jarosz – 2:02.89

5. EGHS: Frintner – 2:15.84

200 yd individual medley

1. EGHS: Williams – 2:04.23

2. PHS: Alex Morikado – 2:18.36

3. PHS: Isaac Ginnodo – 2:18.99

4. EGHS: Pauls – 2:25.54

5. PHS: Ryan Lakner – 2:25.71

50 yd freestyle

1. EGHS: Szczepaniak – 23.38

2. PHS: Carter Mau – 24.16

3. PHS: Jake Holycross – 24.37

4. EGHS: Doruff – 24.51

5. PHS: Nick Tuczak – 25.14

1 mtr diving

1. PHS: Stephen Schmit – 191.20

2. PHS: Anthony Liva – 143.75

3. EGHS: Pachar – 138.15

4. EGHS: Hennessey – 133.85

5. EGHS: Pindras – 115.00

100 yd butterfly

1. PHS: Michael Morikado – 55.13

2. PHS: Sam Gabriel – 59.68

3. PHS: Tyler Culliton – 1:03.97

4. EGHS: Doruff

100 yd freestyle

1. EGHS: Williams – 50.03

2. PHS: Carter Mau – 53.40

3. PHS: Jake Holycross – 54.39

4. PHS: Nick Partipilo – 54.89

5. EGHS: Pauls – 55.23

6. EGHS: Linares – 1:04.69

500 yd freestyle

1. PHS: Alex Morikado – 5:30.19

2. PHS: Alex Jarosz – 5:32.70

3. PHS: Jack Gabriel – 5:48.92

4. EGHS: Banasik – 6:03.00

5. EGHS: Hlavin – 6:23.17

200 yd freestyle relay

1. EGHS: Szczepaniak, Doruff, Pauls, Williams – 1:33.88

2. PHS: Michael Morikado, Jake Holycross, Carter Mau, Nathanael Ginnodo – 1:34.49

3. PHS: Thomas Castro, Cameron Mauer, Nick Tuczak, Nick Partipilo – 1:40.32

4. PHS: Tyler Culliton, Isaac Ginnodo, Ben Szafarz, Alex Jarosz – 1:44.70

5. EGHS: Frintner, Doruff, Hlavin, Morales – 1:45.12

6. EGHS: Zenkich, Linares, Hunt, Fragoso – 1:57.61

100 yd backstroke

1. PHS: Sam Gabriel – 57.04

2. PHS: Ryan Lakner – 1:02.74

3. EGHS: Banasik – 1:07.23

4. PHS: Tyler Culliton – 1:07.59

5. EGHS: Frintner – 1:15.15

100 yd breaststroke

1. PHS: Nathanael Ginnodo – 1:02.76

2. EGHS: Szczepaniak – 1:05.11

3. PHS: Isaac Ginnodo – 1:06.49

4. PHS: Nick Partipilo – 1:10.87

400 yd freestyle relay

1. EGHS: Williams, Szczepaniak, Doruff, Pauls – 3:32.30

2. PHS: Michael Morikado, Nick Tuczak, Carter Mau, Nathanael Ginnodo – 3:33.77

3. PHS: Sam Gabriel, Ryan Lakner, Alex Morikado, Jack Gabriel – 3:55.87

4. PHS: Ben Szafarz, Thomas Castro, Alex Jarosz, Cameron Mauer – 3:56.91

5. EGHS: Doruff, Banasik, Hlavin, Morales – 4:01.18

6. EGHS: Fragoso, Linares, Zenkich, Hunt – 4:26.98