Impressions from last weekend for the men

I’m still having a hard time deciding who had the best invite swim meet. Just call it a toss up between GCC and WC. Both swam as well as would be expected for this time of year. Both teams have their respective 200 and 400 free relays with decent times, despite not having Boston or Courage to anchor. Westminster is hurting with the backstroke. Grove City is struggling with its distance events. Nothing new about that.

Who knows! Maybe there will be one or two mid-season transfers to make things interesting for the 2nd half of the season.

Then there’s Tim Whitbeck. It will be definitely interesting to follow him for the rest of the season. Will he break 20 in the 50 fr? Or maybe pull off a “Q” time for the 100? Then did he swim that 55.02 in the 100 back against Bethany to one-up Cam?

I agree, I’ve been reasonably impressed with Devin Gannon in the back so far this year, and even more with Gerthoffer, but I think he or they will need some more time to develop. Klamut seems to have knack for improving most to all of the people that come through his program (as long as they don’t leave partway through……but then that hasn’t happened much in years either). As for Tim Whitbeck, I would love to see him get under 20 in the 50. If he keeps up like he has been, Aaron Cole’s record may not be long for this world either–and if not this year, surely sometime before April 2009, eh?

The whole PACs dynamic is very strange: Grove City owns back and fly and diving, Westminster owns the breast and distance and should get a points advantage in the short frees (especially the 200) and the IMs. Grove City will probably win at least 4 relays……..did I mention I have no idea?

@weedwacker2000 wrote:

Who knows! Maybe there will be one or two mid-season transfers to make things interesting for the 2nd half of the season.

Oh I sincerely hope not. I’m confused enough as it is.

i don’t see how u can think grove city will win atleast three relays, both medley’s are way to close to call. And with Whisman throwing out a new fastest 50 back time to change the short relay and the loss of Caleb in the 800 fr relay hurts grove city alot with the amount of guys westminster can put up in that relay. I do agree that it is to close to call but i can’t see grove city winning all 4 relays.

I definitely think that Grove City has the upper hand in the 200 and 400 free relays. While the 400 free relay is close right now, I am going to go out on a limb and assume that Westminster was rested more than Grove City when they swam those times. GCC also has the faster times right now in both medleys. Their weak leg in both of those, in comparison to WC, is the breastroke. Lehberger definitely has the edge on L. Larsen, but I still don’t think it will be enough. The fact that GCC has the top time in each of those events right now, and given the history of how they improve compared to how WC improves between the Christmas meet and PAC’s, I’ve got to give the edge to Grove CIty (while trying to have no bias at all). As far as the 800 free relay, I would be shocked if WC doesn’t win it. GCC just doesn’t have the horses this year to win it if they want a chance at the others.

I agree with gccswimmmer16 regarding the men’s relays except for the 400 MR, which Westminster should win. When Lehberger is fully tapered he will have at least a 3 second advantage over L. Larsen. The backstroke and butterfly legs should more or less even out. I don’t believe that Tim can overcome the difference if he swims the last leg.

But there is still the possibility that Larsen may improve significantly by February over what he did last year, as well as his times from the current season up to now.