MANSFIELD — Perhaps the only thing that can keep Hutch Blackstone off the podium at this weekend’s swimming and diving state tournament is an illness.
Mansfield Senior’s three-time state qualifier isn’t taking any chances.
The Richland Source Athlete of the Week, Blackstone spent part of Tuesday at the doctor’s office. He was diagnosed with a mild upper respiratory tract infection.
“I felt like I was coming down with something on Sunday,” said Blackstone, who won a pair of district titles in record-setting fashion at Cleveland State University’s Robert Busbey Natatorium on Saturday. “So I went to the doctor and now I’m on my way to get a prescription filled. Hopefully, it will be taken care of by this weekend.
“I want to be at my best.”
If Blackstone is better this weekend than he was at the district tournament, the rest of the field could be in some trouble. The senior won the 50-yard freestyle in 21.03 seconds and the 100-yard breaststroke in 55.85 seconds at the Division I district meet last weekend. He set school records in both events, as well as the 100 yard freestyle, swimming a 47.66-second leg as a member of Senior High’s district-qualifying 400 free relay team. His time in the breaststroke was a Northwest district meet record.
“I definitely felt great at the district meet. I felt strong in the water,” Blackstone said. “I actually feel like I’m better prepared for the state meet this year because I’m not fully tapered. I was two-thirds tapered at the district meet.”
For the uninitiated, tapering is a common training strategy in which athletes reduce the intensity and length of workouts in the days leading up to a race.
“For swimmers, that means cutting down on your yardage but still maintaining your endurance,” Blackstone said. “When you are fully tapered, you swim your best but it is hard to hold for an extended period of time.”
Going into Friday morning’s Division I preliminaries, Blackstone has the sixth fastest time in the 50 freestyle and the second fastest time in the 100 breaststroke. Defending state champ Ross Palazzo of Hudson has the top time (55.78) in the breaststroke. The third-seeded swimmer in the 100 breaststroke, Solon’s Patrick Tippen, is a full second behind Blackstone, meaning Saturday’s final could turn into a two-man duel between Palazzo and Blackstone.
“If I was Ross, I’d be a little concerned standing on the block next to Hutch,” Senior High coach Steve Shoenfelt said. “He is the defending state champ and Hutch doesn’t have anything to lose.”
Blackstone has qualified for the state meet in the same two events each of the past two years. As a sophomore in 2012, he earned All-Ohio honors by finishing 12th in the 100 breaststroke and 14th in the 50 freestyle. Last year he again was All-Ohio in both events finishing 13th in the breaststroke and 16th in the freestyle.
“There is more of a sense of urgency for me this year,” Blackstone said. “This is my last chance to get onto the podium.”
Finishing in the top eight would guarantee Blackstone of a podium finish.
“When we talked for the first time before the season started, he said his goal was to be on the podium,” Shoenfelt said. “I told him his goal should be to reach the top of the podium.
“It is right there in front of him.”
His performance at the district tournament is reason for optimism. Before last weekend he had never finished higher than third in the district tournament in either event.
“I know he had a drawer full of bronze medals from the district tournament,” Shoenfelt said. “After winning two district championships, he has every reason to be confident going into this weekend.”
Follow Curt Conrad on Twitter @curtjconrad.
