WET 'FEAT' FUELS CONFIDENCE; YOUNT, OWEN FINISH SEASON UNDEFEATED

Eric Yount, a senior swimmer at Cape Central High School, takes in some air while practicing on Monday. Yount, who is undefeated in the 50 and 100 freestyle events this season, wants to make a splash at the state meet which begins Friday.

Cape Central senior swimmers Jason Owen and Eric Yount did what the Denver Broncos couldn't -- go undefeated during the regular season.

Both athletes hope to complete their senior campaigns much like Broncos quarterback John Elway possibly finished his career -- as a champion.

The two swimmers, who led a talented swimming team to a 9-3-1 record this past season, have legitimate shots at taking home the gold.

As far as their individual prowess, the two swimmers' skills compliment each other in a way that benefits the team.

If swimming was track, Yount would run the dashes and Owen would compete in the decathlon.

Owen has posted state-qualifying times in every event but the 100 breast stroke and hasn't been beaten in any event this season. He has decided to swim the 200-yard freestyle and the 100 backstroke at state. Last year, Owen finished second in state in the 200 freestyle and the 500 freestyle.

"People are going to be shocked at that," Central swimming coach Dayna Powell said. "Everybody in the state looks for him to be in the 500 since he was so close to being the stae champion last year."

Yount, meanwhile, prefers his races short and sweet.

His races of choice are the 50 and the 100 freestyle and he was not defeated in those events in 13 meets this year. He also posted a state-qualifying time in the 200 free.

"I can go really fast for a short amount of time, but that's about it," Yount said. "I'm going for the top three if I can. I'd like to get first."

But since his races are so short, it leaves little room for error.

"The 50 is a short race. If you mess up on a turn, you're out of it. If you have a horrible start, you'll lose, so anything can happen."

Yount is aiming to improve upon his 10th-place finish in the 50 free last year.

"I've got a lot better start (now); I'm quicker off the block," he said. "Coach says there's no one who can beat me off the jump. And I've tried to increase my arm speed. Now I take a lot faster and stronger strokes."

Yount, who is one of three senior swimmers who has been competing since his freshman year, has impressed Powell.

"If I looked at one of my most-improved athletes over the past four years, he would definitely be one of them," Powell said. "He came from a freshman who wasn't near a state cut to going undefeated this year.

"He was out at Christmas for about two or three weeks with some health concerns and he told me then that `coach, I miss the water'. That must have been all it took. He's come back from Christmas and he's a changed person."

Owen has also worked hard and has an edge in the pure-talent category.

"He definitely has a gift for the sport," Powell said of Owen who has a swimming scholarship to attend Southern Illinois University-Carbondale. "He's just one of the best that I've ever seen. He can swim any event. He's strong, he's competitive, he's smart. He's one of those kids a coach loves to have on their team."

Since the state champion who beat Owen in the 200 has graduated, Owen is arguably favored to take home the state crown in that event.

The state champion in the 100 backstroke, a swimmer from Marquette High School in St. Louis, returns and will be the swimmer to beat.

Owen comes from a strong basketball background and had to make a tough decision his sophomore year. His brother, Nathan, plays basketball for Southeast Missouri State University.

Until 10th grade, basketball was Jason Owen's main priority, but he also competed on the swimming team that year. He gave up organized hoops his junior year, and he hasn't been beaten in the pool during the regular season since.

As far as basketball goes, Owen hasn't given up his affection for the sport all together. He plays basketball in a church league.

Yount and Owen both noted that they feed off each other's success.

"If Jason wasn't here," Yount said, "I wouldn't be as good. Trust me. If Jason wasn't here I wouldn't be working near as hard. He pushes me to the extreme."

Owen and Yount will be two of four Central swimmers -- Ben Roeger and Zach Roberts are the other two -- to participate in individual events at the state competitions in Columbia on Friday.

Roeger lost just once in the 100 backstroke during the regular season.