Cremer sets Suffolk record in 500 freestyle
BUFFALO - Chris Cremer didn't get to be the fastest distance swimmer in Suffolk history by taking the same approach as his competitors.
It was only after the Sayville/Bayport-Blue Point senior broke the county record in the 500-yard freestyle at the state swimming and diving championship that he revealed his secret.
"Swimmers have a tendency to ease off after the first 200, and kind of take it a little easy," he said after Friday's preliminaries. "The way it's worked for me is that's when I need to pick it up, and it gives me momentum. I see myself maybe pulling away from the other swimmers. No matter what, the last 100, you're going to be going as fast as you can. The best place to make up time is after that first 200."
Cremer's swim was one of many highlights for Suffolk and Nassau during the first day of the 50th state championships hosted by Erie CC at Flickinger Aquatic Center. An estimated 700 fans were on hand to support the 406 athletes from 147 schools from across the state. The top eight from the prelims in each event return for Saturday's finals starting at 10 a.m.
Cremer earned the No. 2 seed for the final after he touched in an automatic All-American 4:34.44. The previous county record was 4:36.91. He also swam the 200 free in a school record 1:42.63, reaching the final.
Holy Trinity senior Jack Wagner is the favorite to win two state titles. He's the No. 1 seed in the 200 individual medley and 100 freestyle. He's also the state record holder in both events.
Wagner earned the No. 1 seed in the IM in 1:51.11 and the 100 free in 45.08, both automatic All-American times. A state title Saturday would be Wagner's fifth after crowns in the 50 and 100 as a sophomore and 100 and 200 IM as a junior.
"When I step onto the blocks, I visualize my race, I think about what I want to be doing, so that when I'm in my race, I know what to do," Wagner said. "I try to be confident with myself. I look back at all the work I've done and I say, 'You can do this' and 'This is your race to win.' "
Christian Yeager of St. Anthony's is the No. 2 seed behind Wagner in the IM, also making All-American in 1:52.67. Yeager also qualified as the No. 5 seed in the backstroke. Mike Forgione of St. Anthony's qualified No. 3 in the 100 free. St. Anthony's has its 200 and 400 free relays in the final, as well.
All Matt DeBlasio did was qualify for the final in all four events he swam while breaking two school records. The junior from Half Hollow Hills is the No. 2 seed in the 100 back after a school record 52.39. He's the No. 4 seed in the 200 IM after he went an automatic All-American and school record 1:53.87.
He swam leadoff on the 200 medley relay that tied for the No. 5 seed with a 1:38.05. He swam the anchor leg in the 400 free relay that was .50 off the county record in 3:14.80.
"Last season, we made it here and we knew we were going to make it again, so we were focusing really hard on this meet," DeBlasio said.
The top swimmer from Nassau was Nick Spinella of Sewanhaka. Spinella, who started his career as an independent, earned the No. 3 seed in the 100 backstroke with a 52.46.
