[Stardust]

Kentucky.com

St. Xavier extended its incredible winning streak to 21 straight state swimming and diving championships, but this time the Tigers had to sweat it out to the very end.

"It was tough," St. X coach Michael O'Toole said after the Tigers withstood several disqualifications and held off runner-up Covington Catholic 2291/2 points to 2151/2 last night in the Pannell Swim Shop-KHSAA event at the University of Louisville's Ralph Wright Natatorium.

"We had to overcome a great deal of adversity, but in a way it made it more special to win," O'Toole said.

St. X won the 200-yard medley relay to open the event, with John Bullock the anchor man. Later, Maclin Simpson won the 100 butterfly in 49.87 seconds and Lee Duggins, in a clutch performance, won the second-to-last event -- the 100 backstroke -- in 50.49 to keep the Tigers ahead.

"Duggins was disqualified after finishing third in the 200 (individual medley) for how he came into his turns," O'Toole said. "The way he refocused was very positive."

O'Toole said Hyatt Gaston was disqualified from Friday's 200 freestyle relay preliminaries and from the rest of the meet for unsportsmanlike conduct. St. X's No. 1-seeded team in that event got a red card.

Trinity, the No. 2 seed, was removed from the race after a false start in Friday's heat. Paul Dunbar won that relay in State Meet record time of 1:25.57. Covington Catholic set the record of 1:25.80 on Friday, then swam second yesterday in 1:25.69.

"We lost 120 points because of DQs, but I was pleased with the way the team handled itself in those situations," O'Toole said.

Simpson, who has signed with Ohio State, won the 100 fly in 49.87.

"I felt strong," he said. "Once I got the lead, I laid it on the line."

Covington Catholic trailed St. X by 24 points going into the final event, the 400 freestyle relay. The Colonels of coach Richard Dickmann swam off from their foes in the race and picked up 40 points. St. X placed fourth for 30 points.

"We're really happy," Dickmann said. "We came in seeded fourth. Our expectations are always high. We swam well, but a lot of things went in our favor and we took advantage of them."

CovCath won only one event but had three seconds, including two by Zane Rowland, the 50 free and 100 free.

Paul Dunbar senior Eric Bruck, who will swim for Clemson next fall, was named the outstanding competitor after winning the 50 free (20.11) and the 100 free (45.30). He was trying to break his own state mark of 20.3 set in Friday's prelims.

He didn't, so he borrowed a Speedo LZR suit from Trinity for his 100 free race.

"I was going for the record in the 50," he said. "That was the goal."

Did the LZR suit help in the 100?

"I guess it did," he said. "It wasn't ripped so that's good." Bruck said he appreciated Trinity's hospitality

Beechwood junior Shane Coltharp won the 200 IM over St. X's Simpson and the 500 free in 4:30.23, just off the state mark of 4:30.22.

"Setting records wasn't one of my goals at the beginning of the meet," Coltharp said. "I've got next year. I tried to take it out as fast as I could and keep it in the tank."

Trinity's Patrick Kemme lost to Henry Clay sophomore Nick Wrightson in the 200 free, then came back to upset No. 1 seed Devan Terry of Male in the 100 breaststroke.

"Devan and I practice against each other every day," Kemme said. "Who wins? Normally, him."

About the 200 free, Kemme said, "This kid has added a little (time) lately. He went faster than that (1:41.33) a few months ago (in a club meet in Nashville, Tenn.). He didn't surprise me."

Manual's Kasey Allen outpointed Trinity's Andrew Galvagni to win one-meter diving for the third straight year.

"It was tougher this time because I had tougher dives, but I hit them so it paid off," the Michigan-bound Allen said.