Mundelein's Falconer focusing on strong finish

When Mundelein's Pat Falconer was a freshman on the varsity water polo team, he knew exactly what his role was.

"All they wanted me to do was swim and play tough defense," the senior said. "I was told so many times to shoot the ball."

Three years later, Falconer is still fast and his role is just as defined. Only now, his role is to shoot, and contribute, in every way possible. Falconer, who will swim next year for Michigan State, is one of the area's most versatile and talented players.

Falconer scored 15 goals in Mundelein's first four games to help the Mustangs win a tournament at Stagg High School.

"He's progressed to where he swims 2 meter to 2 meter every time down," coach Rahul Sethna said. "That's pretty impressive."

Of course, the key now is for the Mustangs to keep Falconer in the water.

In last year's sectional final loss to Stevenson, Falconer missed part of the third quarter and almost all of the fourth quarter with a nose injury. Falconer was ready to ignore the pain, but the blood refused to stop until there were less than two minutes left.

"I was shoving cotton up my nose but I wasn't able to get it to stop," he said. "It was killing me to have to sit there and watch."

Falconer played sparingly in the final game of the Stagg tournament last Saturday. The day before, he sustained a foot injury.

"I'm not even sure what happened," he said. "When I got out of the pool it hurt really bad. I have no idea what happened."

Falconer said it turned out that he broke a bone in his right foot.

"He's a tough kid with a very high pain threshold," Sethna said.

His teammates were not surprised that Falconer played through the injury.

"Pat has the ability to put his mind on the game and ignore everything else," senior goalie David Dickinson said.

Falconer said he would sit out of practice for most of the week, but he expects to return to the lineup soon.

He knows his senior year is not a time for watching. The last three years, Mundelein has lost to Stevenson in the sectional championship game.

Falconer and the senior class are determined to break that streak and make it to the state tournament.

"We're really motivated," he said. "We have one goal right now and that's to get to state."