Best of the 2010s: Boys Swimming – The Republic

Editors note: While the coronavirus has shut down spring sports, we thought we would look back at the areas best athletes from the past decade, the 2010s.

In January, we gave you our All-Decade Boys and Girls Basketball teams, and the past two weeks, weve looked at the top wrestlers and girls swimmers from the past decade. Over the next 16 weeks until fall sports (hopefully) begin well look at the other 16 sports that are sponsored by the IHSAA and give you what we feel were the areas top athletes in each of those sports.

One requirement to be considered for these All-Decade teams is that the athlete must have competed at least half their careers (at least two years) in the years 2010-19 for in the sport for which they are being considered and must have finished their careers at an area school. So for example, 2011 graduates would be eligible for spring sports (since they would have competed in 2010 and 2011), but not fall sports (since they would have only competed in 2010).

Today, the All-Decade Boys Swimming team:

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Swimmer of the Decade: Cody Taylor, Columbus North (2014 graduate)

Taylor was a two-time state champion in the 100-yard breaststroke and set a state record in that event as a senior in 2014. He also finished second in the 200 individual medley and swam on the second-place 400 freestyle relay team and the 200 freestyle relay team that tied for second in 2014.

Taylor emerged as a freshman with a 14th-place finish at state in the 100 breaststroke and a 17th in 200 IM and swam on the 14th-place 400 freestyle and 17th-place 200 medley relay teams in 2011. He finished third in the 200 IM and fourth in the 100 breaststroke in 2012. In 2013, Taylor won the 100 breaststroke, finished second in the 200 IM and swam on the second-place 200 freestyle and third-place 400 freestyle relays.

Taylor went on to swim for three years at Indiana University.

Kevin Brinegar, Columbus North (2012)

Brinegar swam on the 24th-place 400 freestyle relay team at state in 2010. He finished 16th in the 100 butterfly and swam on the 14th-place 400 freestyle and 17th-place 200 medley relay teams in 2011.

In 2012, Brinegar finished ninth in the 100 butterfly and 18th in the 100 backstroke and swam on the third-place 400 freestyle and fourth-place 200 medley relay teams in 2012. He went on to swim for four years at Denison.

Conner Conroy, Columbus North (2012)

Most of Conroys success came in his final two years. He swam on the 17th-place 200 medley relay team at state in 2011.

Conroy finished 12th in the 100 butterfly and 20th in 200 freestyle and swam on the third-place 400 freestyle and fourth-place 200 medley relay teams in 2012. He went on to swim three years at Eastern Illinois.

Sam Parker, Columbus North (2013)

Parker swam on the 24th-place 400 freestyle relay team at state in 2010, finished 17th in the 500 freestyle and swam on the 14th-place 200 freestyle relay team in 2011 and finished 12th in the 500 freestyle and swam on the third-place 400 freestyle and fourth-place 200 medley relay teams in 2012.

In 2013, Parker finished 19th in the 500 freestyle and swam on the second-place 200 freestyle and third-place 400 freestyle relays. He went on to swim at DePauw.

Sam Loescher, Columbus North (2014)

Loescher won four individual state medals and six more medals on relays over his final three years with the Bull Frogs. He finished 12th in the 50 freestyle and 13th in the 100 freestyle and swam on the third-place 400 freestyle and fourth-place 200 medley relay teams in 2012 and finished fourth in the 100 freestyle, tied for fifth in the 50 freestyle and swam on the second-place 200 freestyle and third-place 400 freestyle relays in 2013.

In 2014, Loescher finished fourth in the 100 freestyle and fifth in the 50 freestyle and swam on the second-place 400 freestyle relay team and the 200 freestyle relay team that tied for second. He went on to swim for two years at Wyoming.

Matt Freudenthaler, Columbus North (2015)

Most of Freudenthalers success, at least at the state level, cam on relays. He swam on the second-place 200 freestyle and third-place 400 freestyle relays in 2013 and swam on the second-place 400 freestyle relay team and the 200 freestyle relay team that tied for second in 2014.

Freudenthaler finished 21st in the 100 butterfly and swam on the 11th-place 200 freestyle and 12th-place 400 freestyle relay teams in 2015. He went on to swim at DePauw.

Chase McQueen, Columbus North (2016)

McQueen was a three-sport athlete who used his swimming and cross-country and track careers as a springboard to become one of the countrys top youth triathletes.

In 2014, McQueen finished 32nd at state in the 200 IM and swam on the second-place 400 freestyle relay team and the 200 freestyle relay team that tied for second. He finished 17th in the 100 freestyle and swam on the 11th-place 200 freestyle and 12th-place 400 freestyle relay teams in 2015. He finished 11th in the 200 IM and swam on the ninth-place 200 freestyle and 14th-place 400 freestyle relay teams in 2016.

McQueen went on to run cross-country and track for two years at Arizona before transferring to Arizona State to become part of USA Triathlon Project Podium.

Sam Russell, Columbus North (2019)

Russell finished 24th at state in the 200 IM and swam on the 20th-place 200 medley and 400 freestyle relay teams in 2017. He finished 24th in the 200 IM and swam on the 15th-place 200 freestyle and 17th-place 400 freestyle relay teams in 2018.

In 2019, Russell finished 14th in the 100 breaststroke and 15th in the 200 IM and swam on the eighth-place 200 freestyle and 12th-place 200 medley relay teams in 2019.

Christopher Lee, Columbus North (2021)

Lee finished 26th at state in the 100 backstroke and 30th in the 50 freestyle and swam on the eighth-place 200 freestyle and 12th-place 200 medley relay teams in 2019.

This year, Lee finished ninth in the 100 backstroke and 10th in the 50 freestyle and swam on the state-qualifying 200 freestyle relay team. He will enter his senior season as a state title contender and a top college prospect.

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Best of the 2010s: Boys Swimming - The Republic