When Logan Rysemus was just starting out as a freshman, he wasn’t confident that he would make enough of a presence at Stadium High School to realize his dream of swimming at an NCAA Division I college.
He shouldn’t have worried.
On Saturday, Rysemus showed why he has signed with Louisiana State University as he easily swam to a pair of first-place finishes in the All-City Meet at Mount Tahoma High School.
Rysemus, a senior and the defending Class 4A state title holder in the 200-yard individual medley, won the 500 freestyle in 5 minutes, 05.15 seconds, and the 100 backstroke in 54.21 seconds.
“It’s shaping up to be a really good season for me, personally,” he said, adding that he was impressed with the caliber of competition. “It was a very good meet for all of us; there was a lot of good swimming all around.”
Stadium coach Dave Baughman said Rysemus always puts on a good show.
“It’s been a lot of fun to watch him, over the course of four years, develop into one of the best swimmers in the state,” Baughman said.
The annual meet gives Stadium its only chance of the season to face the other four Tacoma public schools — Foss, Wilson, Lincoln and Mount Tahoma — since they are all Class 3A.
The result of the dual meet is four scores for each school. Stadium won seven of 11 events to defeat all four of its opponents, while Wilson finished atop its league counterparts.
Baughman said he enjoys the structure of the All-City Meet.
“The kids get to swim against people who are the same speed — not three people in each event,” he said. “It makes for better racing, and when they have the opportunity to race, they swim very well.”
Rysemus felt similarly.
“It’s nice to be able to see (the 3A schools) every now and then,” he said, “and get in here and race them.”
Stadium freshman Josh Maclurg said that despite winning the 200 individual medley (2:10.54) and 100 breaststroke (1:04.04), he was disappointed to not tally state qualifying times. He attributed that to easily opening up a lead in both events.
“I expected more people to be as good as me,” he said. “But when I’m so far ahead that I don’t see anybody, there’s no one to race.
“So I’m just kind of swimming for myself.”
Vitor Rossin from Foss also won a pair of events, the 50 freestyle (23.98) and 100 freestyle (52.15), and Ian Pallisigui was Mount Tahoma’s lone winner, in the 100 butterfly (53.36).
“I’m so glad,” said Pallisigui, a senior. “I just wanted to break my time. I didn’t expect to win.” blog.thenewstribune.com/preps
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