Scouting DuPage County boys water polo

Experience is not in short supply for the Naperville Central boys water polo team this spring.

The Redhawks are aiming to ride that experience to an extended run in the playoffs after finishing with a 24-3 record last season. Naperville Central's seniors are motivated to atone for a heartbreaking 12-11 loss to Neuqua Valley in the sectional finals.

"We have eight solid seniors this year," Naperville Central coach William Salentine said. "Anyone of them can start and play multiple positions in the pool. Last year we started six juniors and a senior, so we come into this season with a lot of experience. We have a good combination of speed, experience, skill and strength. We're excited to see what we have."

Salentine said he projects Nate Lueken, Dawson Strang, Jacob Wick and Hayden Albright with the capability "to score from anywhere." Steve Mander, Henry Wagner and Luca Trankina are players to watch and "offer strong defense and offense."

Meanwhile, Naperville North struggled last season building consistency due to a shortage of matches stemming from COVID-19 availability. But the Huskies, led by senior Tyson Berg, are a team to watch in the area.

"Tyson is a great asset to the team, both in and out of the water," Naperville North coach Kelly Reif said. "His defensive skills are impressive, but so is his leadership with the team. He stuck with our team during a rough season last year, and is ready for a great senior season."

Seniors Patrick Horn, Ryan Liberio and Max Zillier join talented freshmen Jack Reif and Mason Hofmann.

"We're looking to be much stronger this year with the return of several players who were out last year due to the shift in IHSA seasons," Reif said. "Our athletes have a lot of game experience and know the game well. They're hard workers and adapt well to different game scenarios."

Neuqua Valley, which posted an 18-2 record and placed third in state last season, is led by Austin Olson, Chris Cottrill and Nick Barreto, though the Wildcats suffered significant graduation losses.

"Overall, my team is going to have a lot of work this year because we did have six starters graduate and Austin is the only starter to return," Neuqua Valley coach Chad Ganden said. "We still have a lot of young kids, so it will be fun to watch them jell over the season into a team. We're very young, with only four returning varsity players. We will have a lot of growth during the season. The strength of the team is we will play very much as a team."

Metea Valley's strong suit is experience, mainly Augustana College recruit Tyler Leslie. The senior is a fast swimmer capable of taking over a game, while goalie Garrett Clamage is another returning starter.

"Most of our varsity starters from last year are returning," Metea Valley coach Sean McNicholas said. "Our seniors have been playing together a long time, and they have great chemistry. We have a huge senior and freshman class."

Hinsdale Central enters the season with raised expectations due to a strong core of upperclassmen following a four-win showing last season. Michael D'Aprile and Chris Rakos are among the senior leaders.

"This team wants to lean into our core principles, and they want to lean into discomfort and push themselves while supporting each other and having a good time," Hinsdale Central coach Christina Brodell said. "We have a large freshmen class and great upperclassmen leaders. As coaches, we're excited to see everyone's growth."

After recording 21 victories last season, York must find replacements for its top four scorers this spring. Senior goalie Jack Schroeder, an Occidental College recruit, was a fourth-team all-state selection in 2021. Senior Matthew Czech is another returning starter, a key distributor who will be counted on for more scoring. Senior Matthew Skwiot and junior Nick Kamenica are players with upside.

"We've retained an elite level goalie and strong defenders, so we feel great about our team defensively," York coach Brian Drumm said. "This season will be about certain players getting comfortable stepping into offensive roles. We know we have the players to do that, so we we're excited to watch these guys continue to develop offensively."