Over the past two seasons, the Riverside Brookfield High School boys swimming and diving team has graduated several strong swimmers. The 68th annual RBHS Invite Saturday showcased both individual performances and strong team cohesion by the Bulldogs despite significant roster turnover. RBHS finished seventh.
The Bulldogs’ 200-yard freestyle team of seniors Jake Kocourek and Henry Manning, sophomore Ryan Meshke and freshman Cameron Cimino provided a clear example of how teamwork and strategy can elevate performance.
“Our objective was to win the relay, regardless of the physical demands we had already faced,” Cimino noted. “The support and energy from our teammates helped keep us engaged and allowed us to fully commit to the race.”
The relay won the first of two heats and was seventh overall. Cimino emphasized while the team performed well, there is always room for improvement.
“There are always areas where we can improve,” he said. “Tightening our exchanges, emphasizing more speed drills at practice, and continuing to work together will be prioritized as we head into conference and sectionals.”
RBHS coach Mike Laurich echoed this focus on development while highlighting the team’s broader progress.
“Once again we’re a very young team right now, with only three seniors competing,” Laurich said. “Despite that, the group is continuing to move forward and improve.”
Junior Emerson Lacey, another of the younger swimmers, made a significant impact in the 200 individual medley. Lacey’s 1:05.80 cut 12 seconds from his previous best took second in the second of four heats. He attributed his improvement to preparation and familiarity with the home pool.
“The environment was more competitive and I prepared myself by focusing on my technique and pacing throughout the race,” Lacey said. “I made a deliberate effort to control my butterfly leg so I wouldn’t use too much energy early on, which allowed me to finish the breaststroke and freestyle quicker.”
Manning also delivered a standout performance in the 50 free, winning his heat in 23.52 seconds. He felt his success came from a subtle adjustment in his sprint technique.
“I went through the race taking only one breath instead of my usual two,” Manning said. “That change helped me maintain better speed and efficiency from start to finish.”
He emphasized continued improvement as his primary goal. The state cut in 21.73.
“My focus heading into sectionals is to keep dropping time,” he explained. “Ideally, I want to get my time into the 21-second range, I need to keep up with my practice to achieve this.”
As for the rest of the season, Laurich emphasized the team’s need for technical refinement and strategic growth.
“We need to be cleaner in our races, especially with our flip turns, and if we can tighten up those details, it will make a noticeable difference as we get closer to conference and sectionals,” Laurich said. “At the same time my approach is about figuring out where all the pieces fit in the puzzle, placing swimmers in events that give them the best chance to succeed while helping them discover which events suit them best as the season progresses.”
Bill Stone contributed to this report.
