Scouting: Tri-Cities boys swimming
St. Charles East
Coach: Joe Cabel
What happened last year: The Saints finished tied for 22nd in the IHSA state meet.
Key losses: B.J. Roth, Brian Gross, J.J. Baginski, Matt Baumann.
Top returnees: Adam Carnell, Ken Tiltges, Shane Seuschek.
Top newcomers: Shaun Seuschek, Stephen Mason, Jimmy Jirsa, Nick Prose.
Outlook: The Saints graduated stars such as Roth and Baumann but return athletes such as Tiltges, who is a senior this year. Carnell is also a returning state qualifier and is also a senior. An unknown factor is that the Saints qualified relays to the state meet last year, and there were non-swimmers who got to experience being on-deck in the ultimate meet of the season. How they respond to that experience and how they prosper in the next two months will say much about how the Saints season progresses. Cabel said numbers are up marginally from where they were a year ago. "We've had a some come out, and they're learning it's a huge commitment," Cabel said. "We've set the bar pretty high." To that end, the Saints would like to improve their finish at the end of the season. "We'd like to make the top 20 at state and we want to be in the top 2 in our sectional. They know they've got their work cut out for them."
St. Charles North
Coach: Rob Rooney
What happened last year: The North Stars finished fourth in the state meet.
Key losses: Jimmy Brooks, Matt Baumann, John Higgins.
Top returnees: Alex Peterson, Dan Stanek, Jason Edgar, Nick Smith.
Top newcomers: Chris Dieter.
Outlook: For the last two years, the North Stars have been one of the top teams in the state - they just don't have a state trophy to back up that statement. But St. Charles North was fifth in 2006 and fifth a year ago. "We've knocked on the door a couple of times," Rooney said. "You've got to have some luck. And I think if you put the teams we had the last couple of years into the arena today, we might be a top contender." Trophy or not, the North Stars have had incredible success, and the returnees have been a part of that. Peterson, Stanek, Edgar and Smith are seniors who have been a part of that success the last two years. "I've got a great group of seniors who have a lot of pride in the team and in themselves," Rooney said. St. Charles North finished second in the Glenbrook North Invitational on Saturday against some tough competition. "We swam much better than we did earlier in the week. We have a lot ot take care of this year and a lot of work to do. We've got a great group of kids as student-athletes who are learning to understand that things require work in life and sacrifice and strong work ethic."
Marmion
Coach: Bill Schalz
Last year: The Cadets finished eighth in the state meet.
Key losses: Luke Martinez.
Top returnees: Tyler Capen, Austin Cox, Thomas Delves, Ben Kanute, Matt Lifka, Matt Pircon. Top newcomers: Sophomores Mike Duy and Andy Healy and freshmen Zach Bennett and Dan Duhig.
Outlook: Based on what they have returning from last year's state meet and the quality of those athletes a year ago, Marmion has the strongest team entering the 2008-09 season. While Martinez was a key loss, the Cadets have not only returnees, but athletes coming back who competed a year ago at the state meet. The Cadets also have the experience of being one of the "hard-luck" teams from 2008. Capen was 13th in prelims in the 200-yard individual medley; Lifka was 15th in the same event as well as the 100 breaststroke while Capen was 15th in the 100 backstroke. Only the top 12 return to swim in the state finals and get to score in the state meet. "A lot of them were just scratching the surface in terms of scoring," Schalz said. "I felt we trained really well last year and I think we're right at that level this year. I think we're doing the work." Overall, the Cadets are a faster team this year, Schalz said, and that should equate into success at the end of the season.