A great rivalry about to unfold

One of Wisconsin's best swimming rivalries is about to unfold in the coming weeks.

Milton's Jeff Maxwell and Madison Edgewood's Chase Stevens will have the opportunity to swim against each other five times in the next five weeks in their specialties -- the 200 and 500 frees. The two Div. 2 seniors currently own the two top times on the WISCA top-30 list in the 500 -- 4:45.41 for Maxwell, 4:45.55 for Stephens -- as well as the 200 -- 1:44.59 for Stephens, 1:46.21 for Maxwell.

Although nothing is guaranteed, there's a good chance Maxwell and Stephens will be swimming both the 200 and 500 frees against each other alot in the next several weeks. Milton goes up against Edgewood next Tuesday in a key Badger South Conference dual meet match-up. Four days after that, Milton and Edgewood will take part in the Hillmen Boys Swimming Invitational in Platteville. Then it's the Badger Conference South swim meet Feb. 16, sectionals at Baraboo Feb. 13 (Milton was moved into the Baraboo sectional with Edgewood earlier this season), and the D2 state meet Feb. 19.

Both are a sure bet to swim the 500 free come D2 sectional time -- they are the top two returning swimmers in the event. Maxwell, who won the D2 500 free title as a sophomore, was just edged out last year by McFarland senior Graham Thoresen, his time of 4:39.39 falling just .23 seconds short of a repeat win. Stephens was third in the race last year with a 4:43.14. The top three swimmers last year were nearly eight seconds clear of the field at the end.

As for the 200 free, Stephens was third last year at the D2 meet, his 1:43.21 just .31 seconds behind winner Brian Heiser of McFarland in an extremely close race. Maxwell finished 4th with a 1:43.83. Maxwell is a very versatile swimmer, and has other choices beyond the 200 free as his second event, but he's swum the 200 free the last two years at sectionals and state.

The two swimmers also offer a contrast in styles. The compact Maxwell, who looks like he'd be just at home playing linebacker on a football team, uses his powerful legs and upper body to power through the water, and gets a great push of the wall on turns. The lanky Stephens, meanwhile, uses the tremendous reach of his 6'-7" frame to just eat up yardage. As a friend of mine said while we watched him swim the other day: "You can't teach height."

Both will soon depart the Wisconsin high school swim scene -- Maxwell off to swim at UW-Milwaukee, Stephens to swim for Northwestern. But for the next several weeks, their battle in two of high school's longest events should be a treat to watch (and for what it's worth, in a sport that seems to lure a bunch of terrific high schoolers, Maxwell and Stephens are two of the nicest and best sportsmen around).

So here's my advice -- if you're at an upcoming meet with these two teams, wait to take the bathroom break or trip to concessions until after the 500 free. It'll be worth it.