McPherson in the swim for best Tartan male athlete

Coach Matt Cory believes Kevin McPherson is not only the greatest swimmer Tartan has produced, he may be the best male athlete in school history.

"Without question he's the best swimmer Tartan has had," said Cory, who is in his 13th year with the Titans. "You could argue he's one of the best, and maybe the best, male athlete to come out of Tartan."

That list would also have to include the likes of former Tartan running back Jay Thomas, who played for the University of Minnesota, and point guard Jake Sullivan, who starred for Iowa State.

But in the pool, no one tops McPherson. The senior holds 10 of the 12 Tartan boys' swimming records and is currently ranked in the top 10 in the state in four events. His goal this year is to become Tartan's first male state champion swimmer.

"I'm definitely hoping for a state title," McPherson said. "I've really been working hard this season. I know a lot of other people have probably been working hard, too, and I'm going to have some good competition, but we'll just see how it ends up at the state meet."

McPherson will take his 3.9 GPA to Missouri University of Science and Technology on a scholarship next fall. He started swimming competitively at age 7 for Oakdale's OMNI Swim Club after he couldn't advance in his swim lessons.

"I was so upset I couldn't pass Level 4 I wanted to join a swim team to get back at the swim lessons instructor," McPherson said.

McPherson, who now swims for SEMS out of Woodbury in the offseason, started competing for Tartan in seventh grade. The summer before his freshman year he began to focus on swimming and started training rigorously on his craft.

"I started going to two practices a day all summer for my club team and began lifting," he said. "I guess I got stronger and that's when my swimming career took off."

McPherson has qualified for the past three Class 2A state meets. He's currently ranked third in the 100-yard butterfly, fifth in the 200-yard individual medley, eighth in the 200-yard freestyle and ninth in the 100 free.

The 200 free is McPherson's strongest event and where he'll be one of the favorites to win a state championship. He took third in the event at last year's state meet.

"He's had a taste of it the last couple years, being close,'' Cory said. "It's like that elusive goal you have that's been just out of reach each year. Now, it's right there and it's his for the taking. He just has to want it bad enough."

Cory said the biggest improvement he's seen in McPherson this year is his work ethic in practice. No one goes harder in meets than McPherson, the coach said, but now he's seeing that drive at every practice as well.

"He swims with heart every single race," Cory said. "He hates to lose. He's a competitor. You wish every athlete you coach has the drive that he has in the water when he competes. He has that drive in practice now, too, pushing himself to his limits."

Cory acknowledged that Tartan isn't known for its swimming prowess, but McPherson has helped the program garner some attention.

"It's Tartan. In the winter, it's all about basketball, and hockey, of course," Cory said. "But there are kids who know who he is, but I don't know if they know just how accomplished he is."

McPherson said he hopes to end the athletic portion of his stellar career at Tartan at the state swim meet in March.

"It's kind of surreal looking back at it and that the last six years of my high school career is coming to an end," McPherson said. "I definitely think I've made a mark here at Tartan, not just on the swim team but on the school as a whole."