Prep Swim Rankings
5 TO CHALLENGE
DISTANCE STAR
by JIM HIGGINBOTTOM
The longest and supposedly toughest race in Michigan school swimming
-- the 400-yard freestyle -- could well be the glamor event this season.
Pershing High's Pete Adams, the defending state Class A champion and
record holder, has yet to make an official appearance this year and already
the wolves are howling at his door.
The "wolves" are three surprising Royal Oak Kimball swimmers -- one
just a freshman -- and Jay Osrowske, of Dearborn, and John Powser, of Allen
Park.
The Kimball swimmers -- Tim Cash (4:12.9), freshman Doug Webster (4:13.3),
and Bill Watts (4:14.9) rank 1-2-3 in the 400 in this week's Detroit News
list of outstanding high school swimming performances.
Figuring that all five of these leading swimmers will improve vastly
before the season is over, Adams may find his state mark of 4:04.6 in danger.
Pershing, like other Detroit Public School League teams, does not begin
its season until Jan. 3.
One sad note was reported this week. Thurston High's brilliant junior,
Ken Wiebeck, winner of both the state individual medley and backstroke
championships last spring, will be sidelined several weeks with a shoulder
injury. Ken hurt the shoulder by hitting the pool at the end of a race.
Wiebeck currently is setting the pace in the 50 and 100-yard freestyles
and in the butterfly. He has not posted times in his other specialties
yet.
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