Stagg pulls off stunner, ends Sandburg’s conference run at 10

Stagg’s switch to the SouthWest Suburban Blue in swimming created quite a splash.

Behind Zack Amendola, who was part of four winning events, the Chargers made their first season in the SWSC Blue a memorable one as they won seven races to unseat 10-time conference champion Sandburg in the conference meet on Saturday at Lockport.

Stagg finished with 267.5 points, while Sandburg — which had won a conference title every year dating back to the SICA West in 2004, finished second at 234. Lincoln-Way East (203.5) was third, followed by Lockport (147), Joliet Township Co-op (134), and Homewood-Flossmoor (123).

“The days leading up to this were long and we had some tough practices,” Amendola said. “I’m really glad we pulled this out and to get a win like this, against this competition, is incredible.”

Amendola, a junior, took first in the 100-yard butterfly with a time of 53.04 seconds and added a title in the 100-yard backstroke (54.9 seconds).

“It was really nice to see all these times,” Amendola said. “It was excited to win (at conference) and look forward to being tapered and even stronger in the sectional.

Amendola was also a part of the two Charger winning relays. The first was in the 200-yard medley relay, where the foursome of Lucas Smiarowski, Harlan Long, Amendola, and Evan Johnson won by nearly three seconds with a time of 1 minute: 39.73 seconds. It was the same story in the 400-yard freestyle relay as Smiarowski, Long, Johnson, and Amendola won by nearly seven seconds at 3:19.67.

“Sandburg, Lockport, and Lincoln-Way East have always been some of our best competition,” said Stagg coach Jason Carr, whose team won Red Division titles in 2011 and 2012. “So it was nice to come in here and win it. We came together and this was one of our goals this season.”

Also capturing first for the Chargers was Smiarowski — with a time of 2:00.02 in the 200-yard IM, Johnson — with a mark of 50.11 in the 100-yard freestyle, and Long — with a time of 1:02.46 in the 100-yard breaststroke.

Patrick Hackett was a double winner for Lincoln-Way East. The sophomore captured first in the 200-yard freestyle (1:47.38) and the 500-yard freestyle (4:45.95). Joliet’s Stephen Mahn won the 50-yard freestyle (22.87) and was part of the winning team of Jonathan Yanello, Sean Youell, Youjia Wang, and Mahn, which won the 200-yard freestyle relay (1:33.48).

Dean Boures from Sandburg captured the diving competition with a score of 392.25.

“Stagg is a veteran team that has a lot of enthusiasm and talent,” Sandburg coach Jim Caliendo said. “I’m proud of our young guys for dropping time.”