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A week ago, Reagan senior Zach Yeadon said the things expected of an elite swimmer. He talked about feeling strong and fast heading into the final few meets of his high school career, and in turn, how he was peaking at just the right moment.

At the time, it could easily been dismissed as swim-speak. Yeadon proved it was not Saturday at Region VII-6A championships at Davis Natatorium.

The Notre Dame-bound Yeadon was a part of four victories, three meet records and two pool marks as Reagan won its fifth straight boys regional title. He won the 500-yard freestyle in 4 minutes, 21.26 seconds, breaking the meet record of 4:25.25 set by Marshall’s Matt Hooper in 1991 and the pool record of 4:26.82 set by Austin Bowie’s Michael Klueh in 2004.

Yeadon also swam the anchor legs of victorious 200 medley and 400 freestyle relays, and won the 200 freestyle. He combined with Beau Tipton, Nicholas Jozwiak and Brandon Garcia to win the 400 free in 3:05.80, breaking the previous standard of 3:07.38 set by Churchill’s quartert of Alex Seward, Brady Garner, John Ariens and U.S. Olympian Jimmy Feigen in 2008. In the 200 medley, Yeadon teamed with Garcia, Jozwiak and Connor McClure to win in 1:34.96, surpassing the previous regional record of 1:35.12 set last year by Smithson Valley.

“I really wanted to come out here and just have the last regionals be a special one for my team, my coaches, all of my friends, family,” Yeadon said. “I wanted them to feel like I didn’t leave anything out there. It feels great to leave a legacy behind. Your name’s on the record board for the next how many years until the record’s broken. You were there, and you did it. I’m so proud of myself and my teammates.”

While Yeadon’s performance was not that big of a surprise, those of Garcia and Brandeis’ Matthew Barrett might have been. Garcia, a sophomore, stunned a loaded field in the 100 freestyle, finishing in 45.87 to edge defending champion Konnar Klinksiek by .09 seconds. Churchill’s Samuel Willstrop was third.

“I didn’t know if I had won, because I knew I was really far behind at the (50-meter mark),” said Garcia, who later won the 100 backstroke. “I wasn’t sure if they knew where I was, and I knew I had to win that race. I felt like I had the energy. I haven’t felt good (with my times) until this year. I wasn’t swimming the races I should be swimming.”

Barrett concluded a busy few days Saturday by winning the 200 individual medley in a record 1:50.85, eclipsing the 1:51.68 set by Marshall’s David Moore in 2012, and the 100 breaststroke in 56.66, just missing the record mark of 56.23 set last year by Taft’s Migs Martin. He qualified for state in 1-meter diving by finishing third on Thursday.

“A lot of pressure was lifted off of me because I already made it (to state in diving),” Barrett said. “I didn’t really have as much pressure as I usually put on myself. I’ve been training the past three years for this, trying to win, and it finally came together. It was really emotional when it happened because of all the hard work I put in.”

Paced by junior Hannah Feng, who garnered four golds (200 IM, 100 butterfly, 200 medley relay, 400 freestyle relay), the Reagan girls won their third straight team crown.

“We lost a lot of seniors, and they were all very, very fast,” Reagan senior Sammie Antonacci said. “But we did hold our own. We worked really hard.”

tthomas@express-news.net

Twitter: @en_terrence

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