The crowd at Cleveland State’s Busbey Natatorium for the Western Reserve Conference meet as opposed to Division I district might not be the source for concern for the fire marshal that the latter may be. But the lights at Busbey still shine just the same, should the performance match the occasion. Jan. 11 for this edition of WRC, those lights shined bright for Leo Iacovetta. PHOTOS: Western Reserve Conference swimming and diving, Jan. 11, 2025 The Mayfield senior swept the 100- and 200-yard freestyle in record-breaking fashion, turning in a time of 48.25 seconds to capture 100 free and a 2024-25 News-Herald coverage area-best 1:44.80 to take 200 free. Both were very good. Arguably, though, that 200 free crown may have been just a little more impressive all things considered. When Iacovetta was D-I SPIRE Sectional champion in the event last winter, he went 1:48.22. So getting sub-1:45 and shattering former South standout James Godshall's meet record (1:46.50 from 2017) was quite the statement of intent heading into the bulk of January. "So I was really proud of the swim today," Iacovetta said. "I was .3 off what I did at district last year, and I know that third 50, I was trying to push that and make sure I could do something with that third 50. In the first 100 last year, I went out really, really fast, and then I ended up going 27s on the way back. I kind of died at the end. "But this year, I want to try and maybe take it out a little bit slower. Then that third and fourth 50, I can really try and hit those and drop a second or two on each one of those. That would be great." Of note amid that encouraging work was a 26.98 third 50, which was a .79 drop from that SPIRE swim. "It's actually funny, because at (the Mark Braun Classic) this year, I was 23.9 out," Iacovetta said. "And I ended up coming back in a 1:47. So I was about three seconds slower than now. I wanted to make sure I didn't go out too, too fast like I did there, and just make sure I could do as best I could." Iacovetta's 48.25 in 100 free broke another Wildcats' great's meet record and a fellow former state free qualifier, as Conor Milroy went 48.67 in 2016. "I knew coming into this meet that I had two goals," Iacovetta said. "One was to break the meet record in the 200 free. And then the second one was to beat my good friend, (Chardon's Toby Rogers). Because last year, he got me in 100. It was disappointing. He had a great race last time, and this time, I ended up beating him. So it was really good." Last season as a junior, Iacovetta earned his first D-I state berth in 200 free. Getting a taste of that stage further instilled belief in what could be possible. "Going into district last year, I knew I wanted to be one of those top guys," Iacovetta said. "I wanted to make it to state and try to get to the highest level that I can. And once I made state last year, I knew that I was going to be able to do that. So this year, I've taken that confidence from state and turned it into a lot of different things I can do this year." In addition to that double, Mayfield swept the team titles at WRC. It marks the Wildcats' seventh team title in the WRC or the old Premier Athletic Conference on the boys side and fourth for the girls. "This is the first time in our swimming history at least that we've had four years in a row winning conference," Iacovetta said. "So that was definitely something that we wanted to do here today. And we did." Rylie Fisher made her first WRC meet impactful. The Chardon freshman secured the 50 free title and delivered a strong leg on the Hilltoppers' victorious 200 free relay. Fisher took 50 free with a 25.25, The News-Herald coverage area's fastest time in the event to date this winter by a half-second. She also went 25.08 as Chardon took 200 free relay with a 1:44.41, not far off Gilmour's coverage area season-best 1:44.26. "It's a very big confidence builder," Fisher said. "Especially as a freshman, I'm very proud of myself. This is my first WRC meet, so I'm excited. "I definitely think my underwaters have improved (in 50 free). It definitely helps that a little bit. And the start was super good, too. It felt smooth. So it felt great." Other individual-event champions crowned at WRC were Chardon's Janet Rockenberger (200 free), Briella Hewitt (200 IM) and Toby Rogers (100 back), Riverside's Daniel Fleck (200 IM), Mayfield's Adam Glowczewski (50 free), Julia Malatesta (100 free and 100 breast), Peyton Koballa (500 free), Aidan Carter (500 free) and Carly Grande (100 back), South's Ava Shearer (100 fly) and Kenston's Luke Schmidt (100 fly and 100 breast).