Boys swimming: Scouting Lake County
LIBERTYVILLE
Coach: Mike Cunningham
Last season: first in North Suburban Conference meet, first in Lake Forest sectional, second in state
Returning swimmers: Matt Harrington (freestyle, butterfly), Justin Fu (freestyle, butterfly), Jordan Mitchell (freestyle, butterfly), Eric Turner (freestyle, butterfly)
Newcomers: Noah Jameson (all events), Nick Harrington (freestyle, breaststroke), Carl Michilotti (freestyle)
Season outlook: The Wildcats are coming off an unprecedented season in which they hoisted the runner-up trophy at state, finishing 3 points behind Normal University. They graduated a special senior class that included Alex Snarski (Northwestern), who won the 100 backstroke state championship while also joining classmates Bobby Snader and Atticus Rush and then-junior Matt Harrington on the first-place 200 medley relay at state. Pat King, a state qualifier in the 200 and 500 freestyles, also graduated. As a junior last season, Harrington placed second at state in the 100 butterfly. He along with classmate Justin Fu, a fellow senior this season, collaborated with Rush and Snader in placing third in the 200 freestyle relay at state winter. The Wildcats also placed third in the 400 freestyle relay with Harrington, Fu, Rush and Snarski. Harrington, a Princeton commit, and Fu will lead the Wildcats this season. Mike Cunningham replaces the legendary Bob Groseth as coach, but Cunningham is no rookie. He's been coaching at the high school level for nine years and, in total, 20 years. "I am expecting a winning season," Cunningham said, "and fast swimming."
MUNDELEIN
Coach: Rahul Sethna
Last season: fifth in North Suburban Conference meet, fourth in Lake Forest sectional
Season outlook: The Mustangs' big loss is Ayrton Kasemets, who capped his great high school career last winter by finishing fourth in the 100 breaststroke and 10th in the 200 individual medley at state.
STEVENSON
Coach: Greg Hartman
Last season: second in North Suburban Conference meet, second in Stevenson sectional
Returning swimmers: Sr. Nick Koto (200, 500 freestyles), Sr. Dima Pelutis (50,100, 200 freestyles), Jr. Andrew Lefebvre (200, 500 freestyles, Jr. Alex Kapecki (50,100 freestyles), Sr. Nathanael Wingfield (50,100 freestyles), Sr. Blake Ripes (diving)
Newcomers: Fr. Nicholas Baginski (50, 100 freestyles, butterfly), Fr. Daniel Ng (IM, breaststroke)
Season outlook: The always competitive Patriots boast the return of Nick Koto, who finished 12th in the 200 freestyle at state as a junior, and fellow state qualifier Dima Pelutis (200, 500 freestyles), as well as sectional diving champ Blake Ripes. Koto and Pelutis also swam on the team's state-qualifying 400 freestyle relay. Nathanael Wingfield went to state last season as a member of the 200 medley relay. Coach Greg Hartman says his squad is looking to compete for the North Suburban Conference championship, a sectional title and challenge for a top-20 finish at state.
VERNON HILLS
Coach: Adam Lueken
Last season: sixth in North Suburban Conference meet, fifth in Lake Forest sectional
Returning swimmers: Gene Palazkou, Sr. Conrad Kocoj, Jr. Brian Rabinowitz, Sr. Nathan McAdams, Rob Williams, So. Jeffrey Zhang, Derek Zhang, So. Oliver Leung, Richard Padovano
Newcomers: Fr. Calvin Yoon
Season outlook: The Cougars finished last season strong. Jeffrey Zhang, Oliver Leung, Brian Rabinowitz and Nathan McAdams destroyed the school record in the 200 medley relay. All four swimmers are back this season. Sean Pinter, Rabinowitz, McAdams and Conrad Kojoc broke the school record in the 200 free relay. Only Pinter graduated. Coach Adam Lueken said Pinter, Zhang, McAdams and Kojoc "swam out of their minds to break our long-standing 400 freestyle school record." The Cougars hope to ride the momentum of last season. "We have our goals on making it to the finals in the medley and 200 freestyle relays (at state)," Lueken said. "We have many other individual goals, but we are really focused on getting those relays to the top 12." The Cougars started their season by winning both the varsity and junior varsity divisions at the Maine East Demon Relays. Kocoj went a 22.0 in his 50 free, while Zhang, Rabinowitz, McAdams and freshman Calvin Yoon "all performed at very high levels," Lueken said. McAdams, Rabinowitz and Rob Williams are all returning captains who "have had a lot of great ideas about how to make this season fantastic," Lueken said. Lueken has introduced a new training format utilizing USRPT (Ultra Short Race Pace Training), which he said has his boys swimming fast early in the season.
WARREN
Coach: Chris Bertana
Returning swimmers: Sr. Tanner Nash (freestyles, backstroke), Sr. Sean Stockwell (freestyles, butterfly, breaststroke), Sr. Matthew Rastovac (freestyles), Sr. Patrick Stingle (freestyles), Sr. Jonathan Sweet (freestyles, IM), Sr. Will Kellerhals (freestyles)
Newcomers: Fr. Josh Church (freestyles, 200 IM), So. Satya Arcot (freestyles, breaststroke), So. Zack Bongratz (diving), Fr. Timothy Stirrat, Jr. Nick Tabourot (freestyles), Jr. Mitchell Ihrig (backstroke, freestyles), Jr. Paul Neal (freestyles), Jr. Harry Quirke (freestyles)
Season outlook: The Blue Devils were hit hard by graduation. Gone are state qualifiers Ashwin Sanzgiri, Garrett Zenner, Austin Salisbury, Kevin Ward (diving) and Nick Pelland (diving). Senior Tanner Nash returns after swimming on three state-qualifying relays last season. Senior Sean Stockwell was a member of the state-qualifying 200 medley relay, while Nash and his classmate Matthew Rastovac swam legs on the sectional-winning 200 free relay.