PREP SWIM RATINGS
Stars Build Up
for Final Rush
By JIM HIGGINBOTTOM
This seems to be the calm before the storm in Michigan high school swimming.
The top performers apparently are coasting, waiting for the rush that's
sure to come. "As the state meet comes closer, you'll see a lot of these
youngsters improve all of a sudden," predicted Ecorse High coach Pat Wallace,
who tabulates the weekly list of top prep swim times for the The Detroit
News. "Most of them could go much faster right now. They try to bring themselves
into top form right at state meet time-when it really counts." Pete Adams,
of Pershing High, is a case in point. Going into last season's Class A
meet, Adams had reduced his time for the 400-yard freestyle to 4:13.2 in
competition. He took more than six seconds off the existing state record
in the finals with a corking 4:04.6. Where is Adams in the event now? Way
back at 4:18.4-but don't bet he'll stay there. "The 100-yard freestyle
is another event where we should see some fireworks," said Wallace. "I'm
sure some of the boys hope to go under 50 seconds this season, and I think
one or two may do it. "A good swimmer can easily go from, say, :51.4 to
:50.0 or :49 something in one race with the right competition. But he might
not be pressed all the way until the finals." Two Birmingham Seaholm performers
indicated they are getting closer to tournament form this week. Freestyler
Bob Wolf jumped into the lead in the 400 with a clocking of 4:12.1 and
Don Spencer, defending butterfly champion and record holder (:54.4), got
down to :55.5 in his specialty.
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