Patrick Rhatigan won seven state medals during the first three years of his high-school swimming career.
But he felt he needed a change of scenery if he was to achieve his goals in his best event, the 500-yard freestyle.
So Rhatigan transferred from Fenwick to Lyons for his senior year.
“It was just a mix of things,” Rhatigan said. “Fenwick went through three coaches in three years and it was hard to establish a culture.
“Fenwick had some phenomenal swimmers in other strokes, but I didn’t really have a whole lot of training partners for my specific stroke, no one that really swam my event. So I knew that if I was really going to be successful, I needed teammates that pushed me in my events.”
At Lyons, Rhatigan got what he needed from fellow senior Matthew Ferguson, a longtime friend. Ferguson and the rest of the Lions, most of whom have known Rhatigan for many years, welcomed him with open arms.
On Feb. 28, Rhatigan and Ferguson concluded their careers in style, leading the Lions to fifth place at the state finals at FMC Natatorium in Westmont. Both won four medals, with the highlight coming in the 500 free where they finished 2-3.
“That was phenomenal,” Lyons coach Erin Rodriguez said. “Their goal all season was to go 2-3 in that and the training all season mirrored what just happened. If we could go 2-3, that was going to be a complete success.”
Rhatigan, who was 15th in the 500 in each of the past two seasons, dropped four seconds off his personal-best time, finishing second in 4:29.66. Marmion junior Brayden Capen, the preseason favorite, won in 4:26.33.
Ferguson, who was eighth in the 500 last year, took third in 4:32.38, edging Marmion senior Patrick O’Connor by .15.
“It’s honestly amazing,” Rhatigan said. “We knew going into the season that we were going to do something special and we really made it happen.
“It meant a lot to us and the program to have two really high-scoring people going top three in the state.”
It wasn’t the first time Rhatigan and Ferguson finished next to each other. In the 200 free, Ferguson took fifth in 1:38.92 and Rhatigan sixth in 1:39.32.
The 500 free was the last individual event for both. The race proved that the dynamic between Rhatigan and Ferguson a partnership more than a rivalry.
“I was just trying to finish third,” Ferguson said. “I got outtouched by one of my friends, Patrick O’Connor, in prelims, so I just wanted to beat him, and I was good with anything as long as (he and Rhatigan) got second and third.
“It’s really special and it’s pretty full circle considering we’ve swimming for a really long time. I’m just so happy because we’ve worked so hard all year.”
While Rhatigan hopes to swim at the Division I level, Ferguson probably won’t swim in college. They will graduate with cherished memories.
“Honestly, I couldn’t have drawn that up any better,” Rhatigan said. “To finish next to one of my closest friends and best training partners was a great moment that came from a great opportunity.”
In other results, Ferguson anchored junior Jovan Mijailovic, senior Jack Hannon and Rhatigan to third place in the 400 free relay (3:01.64) and fifth in the 200 free relay (1:23.91). Mijailovic was fifth in the 50 free (20.74) and fifth in the 100 free (44.82), while Hannon was 14th in the 100 free.
In the athletes with disabilities 2 and over division, Shepard junior Alexander Muller finished second in the 50 free, 100 free and 200 free.