Sprinting Through A Marathon
SYRACUSE – He’s been a champion, and you may have never heard of him. He’s been a King, and you may have never heard of him. He has a twin brother, and, yes, you may have never heard of him.
Wawasee senior swimmer Jared Krugman isn’t one of the more visible swimmers in the pantheon of historic performers. Even on his own team last season, the collegiate level that Brady Robinson competed on a nightly basis, as well as the feel-good story of Alex Mathew and his ability to overcome his hearing impairment to compete at a sectional level both stood out. Meanwhile, Krugman just went out about his business, and oh by the way, won a sectional title in one of the toughest events in high school swimming.
The 500 freestyle event in boys swimming has changed perceptions. In recent years, an event where people left the stands to go refill popcorn and use the restroom has now become a noisy, verbally charged five minutes of must-see swimming. Certainly aided in the Northern Lakes Conference by the studs Northridge and Concord have produced, Wawasee has kept up and had their aces involved when it matters most. Just a couple years ago, Logan Brugh was the Wawasee master in the 500, leaving the program as the record holder with a sub 4:40. Last year, Krugman added his name to the list of Warrior notables, winning the sectional title going away.
Krugman made his prelim lead of 19 seconds stand up in the 500 finals, running away from Ridge’s Tyler Overmyer by 11 seconds for a 4:41.20 title, the first sectional championship of his career.
“Logan taught me everything I needed to know about swimming the 500,” Krugman said of Brugh’s guidance. “He taught me everything I needed to know pacewise. Then getting in against Spencer Lehman (Northridge state champion), he blew me out of the water, but when we got out of the pool he came over, shook my hand, and told me good job. That told me I was doing the right things. His little gesture, saying good job, taught me a little about sportsmanship, too.”
Krugman was just a half-second off the consolation round pace at state in the 500, placing 18th and .46 from reaching a coveted Saturday swim.
Krugman’s 1:44.05 in the 200 freestyle was good for third at the sectional, but earned an at-large state appearance where he finished 21st. The 400 free relay team also made the state finals, but was disqualified in the prelims.
Senior year has already been eventful for Krugman. Winning the 2018 Wawasee fall Homecoming King was a great honor from his peers, and now heading into senior swim with the chance to possibly earn the eye from college coaches, Krugman has his sights set on bigger things.
“It’s definitely intimidating,” Krugman said of being around college-level swimmers, pointing to Robinson, now swimming at Purdue. “He taught me about how to work hard every day. Every other practice, we’re racing. He really did help me. Spencer going to IU, he’s super fast. That’s what it takes. You have to work hard, because college coaches want the ones who work hard.”
Wawasee as a whole has a young and exciting roster, but a collective that lacks tournament experience. Only three returners aside from Krugman saw sectional swimming in Alex Troutman, Aaron Troutman and Daegan Kingrey. The Troutman brothers both swam on sectional Saturday, Alex in medley events and the breaststroke and Aaron in the breaststroke. Kingrey is emerging in the speed events, hanging with the area elite in both the 50 and 100 freestyles. Jared’s twin brother, Jacob, also returns with varsity experience, as does Mathew and Bryce Knepp.
Brady Claassen was less than three points out of a regional diving appearance, and returns with Dane Jenkins to give Wawasee a nice one-two punch on the boards.
Wawasee opens its boys campaign Saturday at home when it hosts rival Warsaw.