Breck/Blake got off the starting block quickly Saturday.
The cooperative of two Twin Cities private schools won the first three events handily, cruising to a record-setting eighth consecutive team championship in the Class 1A boys swimming state meet at the Jean K. Freeman Aquatic Center. Breck/Blake had shared the record with Rochester, which won seven in a row in 1953-59.
“This is a phenomenal accomplishment for our program,” Breck/Blake coach Brian Wright said. “Our focus isn’t on the end result but the process. The state record kind of crept up on us.”
Breck/Blake, which had a 39-point lead in the team standings after the first three events, finished with 327 points. St. Thomas Academy was second with 224.
“Winning the first three events was huge for our team,” Wright said.
Double winner Andrew Colgan capped the fast start, winning the 200-yard individual medley. He was also the medalist in the 100 breaststroke and swam a leg on the victorious 200 medley and 200 freestyle relays. Breck/Blake swept the three relays.
The 200 medley relay team, with senior Colin Craig and juniors Dominic Bollettieri and Henry Webb joining Colgan, won by nearly four seconds in the opening event.
“Our success starts with our medley relay team,” Wright said. “We take a lot of pride in that event. That sets the tone in our big meets.”
