Friday, March 30, 2001
N.Ky. boys swimming all-stars
Dixie Heights' Day a double state champ and more
By Ray Schaefer
Enquirer contributor
Michael Day didn't know how much people cared about what he did at last month's state swimming meet.
The Dixie Heights senior is the overwhelming choice for The Enquirer's Northern Kentucky Boys Swimmer of the Year because he won the state 100-yard butterfly and 100 backstroke. On March 18 he won the 200 butterfly at the U.S. Swimming sectional meet at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio.
But Day didn't know so many were watching.
“You don't know how much people care about swimming until you do something people notice,” Day said. “I've had people congratulate me I haven't seen in years. I got letters from old neighbors I haven't seen in five years. It makes you feel like you accomplished something.”
How could one help but notice? Day's time of 50.53 seconds in the butterfly was an All-America automatic qualifier, and his 51.89 in the backstroke beat the All-America mark of 53.65.
Day said watching former state champions Nate Dusing of Covington Catholic and Henderson County's Jordie Proffitt attack the turns helped him the past two seasons.
“I've always been good at (butterfly),” Day said. “I've had so many great (butterflyers) come before me, Nate Dusing, Jordie Proffitt. I feel like I'm in the same category.”
Day is in Austin, Texas today for the U.S. Swimming Senior National meet. He doesn't think he'll win the 200 butterfly, but that doesn't diminish what he did at state.
“After you go through that, it makes you feel good about yourself,” Day said.
CovCath's Steve Durkee is the Coach of the Year for the third straight season. For the third straight year he led the Colonels to a second-place finish at state behind Louisville St. Xavier. If a Colonel had finished 12th or better in 1-meter diving.
“They had to sweat a lot,” Durkee said. “We gave up 40 points in diving, they beat us by 37.5 points overall. They beat us on the diving board, we beat them in the water.”
CovCath dominated local boys swimming. Senior Brett Hoersting won the 100 freestyle at state, senior Matthew Bertke took the 200 freestyle, and Hoersting, Bertke and juniors David Hine and Matt Wilson won the 400 freestyle relay.
“It was the best team I ever took to state, obviously, Durkee said. “We've had a bunch of great individuals, but (this year's) was the best team.”
Swimmer of the Year: Michael Day, Dixie Heights, senior
Coach of the Year - Steve Durkee, Covington Catholic
First team
200-yard medley relay: Covington Catholic: (Philip Rugari, senior; Chris Hudepohl, sophomore; Sean Pharr, sophomore; David Hine, junior)
200 freestyle: Matthew Bertke, Covington Catholic
200 individual medley: Philip Rugari, Covington Catholic, senior
50 freestyle: Brett Hoersting, Covington Catholic, senior
1-meter dive: Zach Niehaus, Scott, junior
100 butterfly: Michael Day, Dixie Heights, senior
100 freestyle: Brett Hoersting, Covington Catholic, senior
500 freestyle: Matthew Bertke, Covington Catholic, senior
200 freestyle relay: Covington Catholic (Brett Hoersting, senior; Sean Pharr, sophomore; Matt Wilson, junior; Matthew Bertke, senior)
100 backstroke: Michael Day, Dixie Heights, senior
100 breaststroke: Chris Hudepohl, Covington Catholic, sophomore
400 freestyle relay: Covington Catholic (Brett Hoersting, senior; David Hine, junior; Matt Wilson, junior; Matthew Bertke, senior)
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N.Ky. boys swimming all-stars