Young, tough lineups as Barrington faces Fremd
Friday marks the first big dual meet test of the season in Mid-Suburban West boys swimming and diving as two-time defending overall league champ Barrington pays a visit to Fremd.
The Vikings placed third in last year's conference meet - but it would be a mistake to put much emphasis on last year when looking at either of the teams this season.
Both programs are trotting out lineups very different from last winter, with one thing in common: youth.
Sometimes that can mean taking a step back in terms of performance, but neither team seems to be doing that.
Barrington's sophomore class is especially strong and features Mitch Gavars (distance free) and Colin O'Leary (back/fly), both of whom qualified to the state meet as freshmen. Last weekend they joined teammates Max Gersten and Andrew Fish in winning the frosh-soph medley relay at the Barrington Relays in 1:42.73.
Just for a sense of perspective, that Broncos underclassman quartet has been faster than 10 varsity teams in the MSL.
Among the other key competitors coach John Valentine will be counting on are senior Chase Lesniak (IM), junior Colin Cross (breaststroke), sophomore John Lagoni (freestyles) and sophomore diver Christian Potgieter.
Another measure of Barrington's young strength came in the frosh-soph 200 free relay, where Gavars, Lagoni, O'Leary and Fish won at the Bronco Relays in 1:33.26 - another time that would be second-best in the MSL so far this season, behind only Fremd.
Adding to the challenge for Fremd are the sheer numbers of quality competitors Barrington can bring to the varsity level of a dual meet.
Fortunately for the Vikings, numbers and lineup completeness is also a strength for Fremd.
"More than ever before, we are seeing a true team effort out of our kids," said Fremd coach Kristen Newby. "Our meets are not being won because of high-end standouts, but because of the collective heart and effort of our entire team, both swimmers and divers. We have strong senior leadership this year, and their commitment to the program has set an excellent example for our younger kids to follow. That in particular has made this a very special year for me to coach, and I am thrilled with how our boys are approaching this season."
Among the key contributors so far for Fremd have been seniors Austin Yurasek, Roshan Rajan and Andrew Mueller, juniors Dylan Assmann and Danny Benjamin, sophomores Nick Nevins, Joey Carlisle and Arnas Maciunas and freshman Danny Konishi.
The Vikes have been impressive in winning their first two MSL duals against Prospect and Hoffman Estates, but Barrington poses a different kind of challenge.
"Without a doubt, this will be a very good meet to get up and race, and we should get some excellent data regarding our relay times, as well information that will help us begin to put the pieces together for our conference lineup," Newby said. "Our kids are looking forward to the challenge of competing with this young, strong Barrington team."
Here's hoping both teams - and all MSL teams, for that matter - avoid the flu. This is a meet that deserves a full-strength showing.
Record-Hawking: Hoffman Estates coach Jenny Toler likes the group vibe her team is showing, and the overall mood for the Hawks is optimistic.
The general goal this year, she says, is to get Hoffman Estates back to the state meet two seasons after standouts Nick Jessee and Sang Han did it.
That could happen either individually or with relays - or ideally, both ways.
Hoffman Estates has a tough top four of seniors Bartosz Widelak, Jacob Pasaye, Joe Siley and sophomore Adam Hobar. All of them figure to have chances to make to state as individuals by season's end, and the rest of the season will help determine how the relays will be approached.
One more team goal: add some fresh team records.
"We'd like to get a few more names up there," said Toler, gesturing to the record board on the wall at Hoffman Estates following the Hawks' dual meet against Cary-Grove on Tuesday.
Pasaye did it last year, setting a team standard in the 200 IM (2:04.53). Smiley has been impressive in the sprints, especially with the 26.03 in the 50-meter free he delivered against Cary-Grove; that converts to 23.26 in yards.
Widelak's best events are the sprint freestyles and the fly. Hobar is versatile, already having delivered strong results in the distance freestyles along with the 100 fly.
Junior champs: Congratulations are in order for the Patriot Aquatics Club women's 800-yard freestyle relay team, which won a second straight 800-yard freestyle relay national title in the recent Speedo Junior Champs meet in Federal Way, Wash.
Mundelein's Erin Falconer, Fremd's Erica King, Lake Forest's Haley Nelson and Stevenson's Reilly Lanigan combined to finish in 7:16.85.
Falconer led off with a sizzling 1:47.09 split and Lanigan finished with a 1:47.78 leg. King came in at 1:52.29, and Nelson was 1:49.69.
PAC also had point-scoring 400 medley (Falconer, Macey Neubauer, Lanigan and Nelson, 16th, 3:47.19), 400 free (Falconer, Nelson, Stelnicki, Lanigan, ninth, 3:23.81) and 200 free relays (Falconer, Loretta Stelnicki, King and Lanigan, 15th, 1:34.72).
Falconer had point-scoring efforts in the 200 free (8th, 1:47.91), 200 back (17th, 1:58.15) and 100 free (17th, 50.49), and Lanigan scored in the 200 free (14th, 1:48.81) and 500 free (19th, 4:49.68).