Jake Nielsen (50 free), Liam Preston (200 free) swim to crowns

Jake Nielsen, Hauppauge, Sr.

Jake Nielsen never really saw himself as a state champion. Not until this year at least.

Nielsen was always a strong swimmer, but the difference between a talented swimmer and a state champion can be immense.

But the senior came in with a new drive and dedication this season. Hauppauge coach Rich Lionetti said he saw Nielsen stay late to perfect his craft, eat better and work on his body. All that culminated in a state championship in the 50-yard freestyle, winning in an All-American consideration time of 20.68 seconds at the boys swimming state championships at Ithaca College March 5.

“I didn’t think it was possible until the beginning of this year because I didn’t see the improvements I needed until pretty close to state,” said Nielsen, a Hauppauge senior. “Last year I definitely wouldn’t have thought this would happen but at the beginning of this year, I had a thought in my head that it could.”

The 50 freestyle doesn’t leave any room for error. One slight mistake could be the difference between first and ninth place. Nielsen won the state title by 0.26 seconds as all nine swimmers in the championship heat finished within a second of one another.

“I trained the whole year for the race and I knew exactly what to do and I just did it,” said Nielsen, who will swim at SUNY Geneseo next year. “I was working on my starts a lot this year. My start was pretty good and I knew I had a solid chance of winning it.

“It was a really great moment,” Nielsen said. “I was really proud of myself for what I did.”

Liam Preston, Miller Place, Sr.

It’s a feeling Liam Preston will never forget and one he’s envisioned since he began competitive swimming.

Preston, a senior from Miller Place, was determined to make himself and his hometown proud competing at his final boys swimming state championships at Ithaca College March 5. The standout swimmer did just that when he won the public school state championship in the 200-yard freestyle in an All-American consideration time of 1:33.88.

The emotions of touching the wall with a victory will stick with Preston forever.

“That’s what I’m always going to remember,” Preston said. “It’s not often you get feelings like that, so I was definitely excited.”

Preston finished second in the Federation, just 0.43 seconds behind Fordham Prep’s Henry Amar.

“I’ve been working on it for years,” Preston said. “It’s been a huge goal of mine so to finally be able to do it is definitely cool.”

Preston, who will swim for Binghamton next year, said he began swimming around age 8 and instantly felt a passion for it. He saw his times drop every year through club meets and county and state championship environments and wanted to graduate as a state champ.

“I think it’s the best way to finish my high school swimming career,” Preston said. “It was so exciting and the best thing I could ask for.”

St. Anthony’s 200-yard medley relay

Matthew McManus stood on the block, stared down into the water and was determined to do his part to deliver a state championship.

McManus, a junior swimmer for St. Anthony’s, swims the final leg of the 200-yard medley relay for the Friars. When his teammate, Connor Brown, touched the wall with St. Anthony’s leading following the third leg of the 200 medley relay at the boys swimming state championships at Ithaca College March 5, McManus knew it was his moment.

“I was definitely super nervous and my adrenaline was through the roof and pounding out of my chest,” McManus said. “I knew when (Brown) came to the wall that we were going to win.”

McManus swam the final 50 yards in a freestyle in 20.99 seconds as the Friars’ 200 medley team of Aaron Mendoza, Noah Cakir, Brown and McManus won in an All-American consideration time of 1:33.44. They edged out Burnt Hills-Scotia, which placed second in 1:33.72.

“I knew my team put me in a good enough place where there was no way I was going to fail,” McManus said. “I didn’t want to fail them, so I just gave it my all.”

The four swimmers focused on the 200 medley relay all winter. They saw their times drop over the season and wanted to win for each other.

“To see that we ended up winning it all was heartwarming because it showed we are a team,” McManus said. “And teammates don’t let each other down.”

McManus and Brown (juniors), Mendoza (sophomore) and Cakir (freshman) are all set to return next season with large goals, including eyes on a state record time of 1:33.30, set by Fordham Prep in 2021.

“We know that we can go faster,” McManus said. “There were a couple of mistakes in the race so next year we are gunning for that relay record. We really want to get that and just show everyone we are still the top dogs in New York State.”