Freestylers lead Neuqua to 6th straight invite win
If Neuqua Valley is going to finish in the top three at state for the fifth straight year, one or two freestylers will have to move up front and center.
The two most likely candidates, senior Conner Jager and junior Robert Vechiola, showed Saturday that they could be the guys, helping Neuqua to its sixth straight victory at the West Chicago Wildcat Relays.
Neuqua Valley scored 177 points to finish first ahead of Lockport with 148 and Waubonsie Valley with 139.
Neuqua Valley won eight events, including the diving, and Waubonsie Valley won the other four.
“The past few years we've had some of the best freestylers in the history of Illinois swimming,” Jager said. “And even though our freestyle racing isn't where it was in the past, we believe that we have a lot of talent and potential and we're picking it up in practice.”
Jager, Vechiola, Charlie Lockridge and David Lesniak swam on the victorious 400-yard freestyle relay team that finished first with a time of 3:22.80.
Jager was also a member of the victorious 200 breaststroke, the 200 butterfly relay teams, while Vechiola swam the 200 backstroke and the 800 freestyle relays, both winners.
Wildcats Lesniak, Lockridge, John Mordach, Rob Cicchini, Alex Bollinger and A.J. Quebbeman also swam on multiple winning relay teams.
Neuqua Valley's 200 butterfly team, which finished in 1:40.34 was the fifth fastest time in that event in the history of the West Chicago Wildcat Relays. That team consisted of Jerry Wu, Quebbeman, Drew Dvorchak and Jager.
“Other than that race, we didn't have any outstanding relays,” said Neuqua Valley coach Chad Allen. “This was our toughest win so far in this meet. Waubonsie Valley had four nice races.”
Allen believes the area that Neuqua Valley needs to show the most improvement is in the shorter-distance freestyle races.
“We're looking good in the longer-distance free and the stroke events,” Allen said. “But we have to get a little stronger in the shorter distances. The guys doing the 50s and the 100s on the free relays were a little off.”
He had high praise for Cicchini, who swam a 57.40 to lead off the 400 medley relay.
“Right now we're trying to get the team where we believe it should be,” Vechiola said. “We have potential and we think we can make it to the top three again. But we have a lot of work to do before that happens.”
Both Jager and Vechiola realize that a lot depends on how they fill their roles as the teams main freestyle swimmers.
“We've trained with the great swimmers who have been here the past few years,” Jager said. “They taught us a lot about how we have to shape up and move up to be the next leaders. Even if we can't completely fill their shoes, we can help other guys get to that level so they can contribute in the next couple of years so the program can stay close to the top.”