Apr. 5—Here are the best of the best from this boys' swimming and diving season, all of whom finished the year at state:
Garren Barker
Champaign Central junior
➜ Why he made the first team ... Barker won a second consecutive News-Gazette Swimmer of the Year honor, ending his season by breaking four Urbana Aquatic Center pool records at sectionals. He earned gold medals in the 100-yard butterfly, 100 backstroke, 200 medley relay and 400 freestyle relay to lead a group of Maroons to state.
➜ His biggest swimming superstition is ... slapping himself before every race.
➜ His dream career is ... business.
➜ His go-to snack is ... apple juice.
➜ If he could make the Olympics in any other sport, he would pick ... tennis.
➜ The actor he'd pick to play him in a movie would be ... Ryan Gosling.
➜ If he could have dinner with three people from any time period, he would pick ... Queen Elizabeth, Bruce Lee and Albert Einstein.
➜ Three things on his bucket list are ... completing a triathlon, becoming a millionaire and traveling to Dubai.
Tyler Cappa
Champaign Central freshman
➜ Why he made the first team ... Cappa joined Barker on the record-setting and state-qualifying 400-yard freestyle relay, getting his high school career off to just about as solid of a start as you could ask for. He also finished third in both the 200 freestyle and 500 freestyle at sectionals.
➜ His biggest swimming superstition is ... wearing a pair of goggles until they break as long as he swims well in them.
➜ His dream career is ... an anesthesiologist.
➜ His go-to snack is ... Cheez-It Snack Mix.
➜ If he could make the Olympics in any other sport, he would pick ... ping pong.
➜ The actor he'd pick to play him in a movie would be ... Ryan Gosling.
➜ If he could have dinner with three people from any time period, he would pick ... Michael Jordan, LeBron James and Caeleb Dressel.
➜ Three things on his bucket list are ... traveling to Europe, surfing a big wave and visiting all 50 states.
Erik Fahnestock
Uni High sophomore
➜ Why he made the first team ... Two years of high school competition, two All-Area First-Team honors. Fahnestock was one of only seven area swimmers to qualify for state in an individual event, doing so in both the 200-yard individual medley and 100 breaststroke after winning both races at sectionals.
➜ His biggest swimming superstition is ... trying to replicate everything leading up to the next race after a good race.
➜ His dream career is ... a lawyer.
➜ His go-to snack is ... Cheez-Its.
➜ If he could make the Olympics in any other sport, he would pick ... track.
➜ The actor he'd pick to play him in a movie would be ... Daniel Radcliffe.
➜ If he could have dinner with three people from any time period, he would pick ... Jesus, J.R.R. Tolkien and Eric Liddell.
➜ Three things on his bucket list are ... growing closer to God every day, becoming fluent in another language and swimming at an international meet.
Jonathan Freeburg
Champaign Central junior
➜ Why he made the first team ... Freeburg was one of three area 50-yard freestyle swimmers to make state in the event, squeaking under the state cut line with a third-place sectional time of 21.68 seconds. He also took fifth in the 100 freestyle and swam on both of the Maroons' state relays.
➜ His biggest swimming superstition is ... just giving everything his all.
➜ His go-to snack is ... Belvita breakfast biscuits.
➜ If he could make the Olympics in any other sport, he would pick ... bobsledding.
➜ The actor he'd pick to play him in a movie would be ... Michael Ealy.
➜ If he could have dinner with three people from any time period, he would pick ...
