West’s McGlaughlin ready to defend

MARSHALLTOWN - Iowa City West sprinter Mark McGlaughlin is making it look awfully easy.

Maybe it's the undefeated season in both individual events and relays. Or it could be the unflappable demeanor and composed disposition that appears to be void of nerves.

No matter the stakes, nothing seems to rattle the junior for the defending state champion Trojans.

'Out of the water I'm extremely laid back,” said McGlaughlin, who will help West attempt to defend its title at Saturday's boys' swimming state championships at the Marshalltown YMCA. 'I really don't get nervous about anything. In the water, I get very competitive, very quickly. I think it's kind of nice because I don't have to worry about things. In the water, I know what I am doing.”

Does he ever. McGlaughlin won four gold medals at last year's state meet - two individual, two relays - and again is seeded first in the 50-yard freestyle and the 100 free. He'll also swim the opening backstroke portion for West's 200 medley relay team and anchor the 400 free relay.

'Being the champion in two events last year was pretty good,” McGlaughlin said. 'So I'm going to go for that.”

Fellow junior Aidan Keen, another four-event winner from last year, seeks a similar repeat in the distance events (200 free and 500). Throw in Will Scott (50 free) and Oliver Martin (100 butterfly), and the Trojans boast an impressive four swimmers seeded fourth or better in six events. Senior Matt Anderson adds strength in two of three relays, all of which West is expected to win.

'It's pretty cool having all the group within three years of each other, which doesn't happen very often,” McGlaughlin said. 'A crazy occurrence, and it's great to be part of it.”

Keen already has qualified for the 2016 Olympic Trials, and McGlaughlin is expected to do the same during long-course meets this summer. West won seven of 11 events at last year's state meet, the first school since Cedar Falls in 2006 to eclipse 200 team points (205).

50 FREE, BACKSTROKE LOADED WITH AREA SWIMMERS

Area swimmers will fill half of the eight slots in the final heat for the 50 free and the 100 backstroke. Cedar Rapids Kennedy's Brennan Urbi is seeded third - behind McGlaughlin and Scott - after finishing fifth last season. Justin Arebaugh of Linn-Mar is the five seed.

'The 50 free is always up in the air,” Urbi said. 'I feel like I'm in a pretty good spot.”

Cedar Rapids Washington teammates Nick Saulnier and Kaleb Donels highlight the area backstrokers, with Linn-Mar's Calvin Greve and Abe Eyman Casey of Iowa City High attempting to reach the podium for the first time.

'(It's) really just about knowing how to swim it,” Eyman Casey said. 'Really having a plan.”

OTHER STATE TITLE CANDIDATES

Cedar Rapids Washington's Jared Thorson is the top seed in the 100 butterfly, while teammate Cameron Kelley is seeded second in the 500 free and third in the 200. In the 100-yard butterfly, Saulnier is the two seed, as are the 200-yard medley and 200 free Warrior relay teams. Mac Faldet of Decorah is the No. 2 seed in the breaststroke.