Scouting DuPage County boys swimming
Top teams: Hinsdale Central, Lake Park, Naperville North, Naperville Central, Neuqua Valley, Wheaton co-op.
Top swimmers: Addison Trail/Willowbrook Co-op: Brett Buchanan, sr.; Benet: Jake Zernhelt, sr., Joe Latocha, sr., Elliot Batchelder, sr.; Pete Kryzwosz, so.; Downers Grove North: Mike Reed, jr.; Conor Ozog, sr.; Downers Grove South: Vince Errichiello, jr.; Peter Errichiello, so.; Mike Holz (diver), jr., Brad Jones, jr., Jake Mueller, sr. Hinsdale Central: Danny Thomson, so., Taylor Werkema, sr., Max Morimoto, jr., Nick Heiser, sr.; Hinsdale South: Jordan Dyson (diver), sr., Adam Jones, sr., Sebastian Ostrowski, jr.; Lake Park: Nathan Schingoethe, jr., Aaron Casper, sr., Bob Patschke, jr.; Metea Valley: Nick Pulgine, so., Mike Stack, so.; Naperville Central: Jeff Depew, jr., Mark Menis, sr., Keith Piper, sr., Matt O'Brien, sr., Ryan Stanley, sr., Danny Tucker, sr.; Nate Weeks, so.; Naperville North: Will Heidler, sr., Nick Bessler, so, Kevin Butz, so., Joel Demuth, sr., Andrew Eiken, so., Connor Hubbard, sr., Jon Law, sr.; Neuqua Valley: Kevin Cordes, jr., Grant Betulius, sr., Andrew Bratsos, jr., Brien Gerber, sr., Conner Jager, jr., Hans Peters, sr., Andrew Quinn, sr., Ted Wagner (diver), jr.; Waubonsie Valley: Gabe Baginski, sr., Tyler Briesath, sr., Tyler Hunt, jr., Alex Ding, jr.; Wheaton co-op: Ryan Frederickson, sr., Dan Long, jr., Collin Hogan, jr., George Doran (diver), jr., J.T. Simoneau, fr.; York: Marc Krolikewicz, sr., Dan Groch, sr.
Outlook: Last year's extraordinary DuPage County senior swimming class included a trio of state champions: Kevin Overholt of Neuqua Valley, Bryant Honsa of Lake Park and Burke Sims of Downers Grove North. And while they and other standouts will be hard to replace, there are still plenty of top-level swimmers and divers to make this year as competitive and exciting.
Neuqua Valley, which has won trophies the past three years, taking the state title in 2008, enters the season without a superstar at the head of the lineup for the first time in four years. If the Wildcats hope to make it back to the magic circle they will have to get more points from a number of sources. And those scoring possibilities are there. Cordes is the reigning state champion in the100 breaststroke. Other scorers include Peters in the 100 and 200 freestyle, Gerber in the 200 IM and Wagner in diving. Bratsos anchored the free relays that finished second and third and he's capable of scoring in individual events. If Betulius is healthy he's one of the best backstrokers in Illinois. Quinn and Jager should also qualify and they're looking to take it to the next level. "We have a lot of guys who can do well," said coach Chad Allen. "We have good depth and now we need some guys to step up and produce some top six finishes."
Lake Park, which finished ninth at state, could give the Wildcats their stiffest competition in the Upstate Eight Conference. The Lancers lose Honsa, but this is a team on the rise. Schingoethe, who just missed scoring in the backstroke, Casper, a fine sprinter, and Patschke, who's swimming in high school for the first time after excelling in club, are all potential scorers as individuals and in relays. "If we do it right, we can get make it to the top 12 in state," said coach Dan Witteveen. "Aaron and Nathan will have to do more together than Bryant did as an individual. And I think our relays will qualify. Our guys are hungry this year."
Waubonsie Valley's Baginski could have a breakout year, and the new Metea Valley will dive into the varsity waters for the first time. The Warriors lost some good sophomores to the Mustangs when the school boundaries were redrawn.
The DuPage Valley Conference will again be a battle between the two Napervilles, with Wheaton co-op a not-too-distant third.
Naperville Central, lost some great swimmers from last year's fifth-place team, but the Redhawks' cupboard is still well-stocked for the winter. Tucker was 10th in the 50 free, while Jeff Depew, Menis and O'Brien were on scoring relays teams. There's also a bunch behind them capable of moving up to qualify. "We have good senior leadership," said coach Mike Adams. "And our guys are all enthusiastic and hard workers. We have to fill some spots left open by the graduates, and that will be one big determining factor for us to have a decent team by the end of the season."
The Huskies' nucleus will come from a fast, experienced senior class, led by Heidler, who was second in the 200 IM and a trio of sophomores, Bessler, Butz and Eiken, who promise to be in the state's elite club this year or down the line. "This is a team that's comparable to our group that finished third in state in 2007," said coach Kurt Johns. "If we want to be among the best, these guys are going to have to step up and believe in themselves."
Wheaton co-op has better depth this year, though not nearly as much as its conference rivals from Naperville, and coach Jacob Ayers has great expectations for the the solid athletes who make up the core of his lineup. Hogan can be a factor at state in any race he chooses, and Frederickson is on the verge of scoring in both the 200 IM and the 100 breaststroke. Long is a leader and a valuable relay guy, and Doran is one of the best divers in the state. Newcomer Simoneau will contribute immediately. "If our juniors can make the transition from underclassmen to team leaders, this could be a special year," Ayers said.
Benet coach Mike Rigali is optimistic, and he bases his outlook on the determination and focus his team has displayed in the early going. The Redwings have a few veterans, led by Zernhelt, who were at state, some promising newcomers and the addition of Batchelder, an experienced club swimmer on varsity for the first-time. Benet's relays could be outstanding.
Hinsdale Central made it to the top dozen in state and can return if coach Corky King can find replacements for some key graduates from the relays. Werkema scored in the 500 and on the 400 free relay and Thomson was one of the best freshmen in Illinois last year.
Downers Grove North coach Judy Busse is building after losing top freestylers like Sims, who rewrote the school's record-board, and Ryan Downey, who was eighth in state in the 500 free. But there is some emerging talent, notably Reed and Ozog as the Mustangs mount a challenge to return to the top 20 in state, after finishing 13th last year.
Errichiello is the centerpiece of a Downers Grove South team that hopes to move up one slot and win conference.
Dyson of Hinsdale South, who was third in state, is hoping to win it all as a senior.
Addison Trail/Willowbrook co-op's Buchanan, who'll attend college on a baseball scholarship, finished ninth at state in the breaststroke, and York welcomes back Krolikewicz, who qualified for state as a sophomore, but missed last year due to illness.
Important dates: Dec. 19: Neuqua Valley Invite; Dec. 22: Naperville North College Events Meet; Jan. 2: Waubonsie Valley Aqua Pentathlon; Jan. 12: Naperville Central at Naperville North; Jan. 23: Downers Grove North Trojan Invite; Jan. 30: Waubonsie Valley Fox Valley Invite; Feb. 5-6: Conference Meets; Feb. 20: Sectional Meets; Feb. 26-27: State at Evanston Township High School.