Scouting DuPage County boys swimming
Top teams: Hinsdale Central, Naperville Central, Naperville North.
Top swimmers and divers: Addison Trail/Willowbrook co-op: Nick Zito, jr.; Milos Delic, jr.; Spencer Phillips, sr.; Max Railing, jr.; Benet: Peter Krzywosz, sr;. Downers Grove South: Peter Errichiello, sr.; Ryan Kujawa (diver), jr.; Fenton: Lucas Linder, sr.; Glenbard East/North co-op: Andrew Homere, sr.; Hinsdale Central: Danny Thomson, sr.; Ryan O’Donnell (diver) jr.; Hinsdale South: Mike Benedict, sr.; Lake Park: Sean Gregor, so.; Metea Valley: Michael Stack, sr.; Nick Pulgine, sr.; Zack McClernon, sr.; Alex Gidlow, jr. Naperville Central: Sean Lehane, sr.; Nate Weeks,sr., Noah Wood, jr.; Connor Lamb, so.; Kyle Faulkner (diver) sr.; Naperville North: Nick Bessler, sr.; Kevin Butz, sr.; Andrew Eiken, sr.; David Healy, sr,; Tom Hubbard, sr.; Eric Curia, jr.; Sam Hiller, junior; Neuqua Valley: Robert Vechiola, sr.; Jerry Wu, jr.; Drew Dvorchak, so; Waubonsie Valley: Adam Stacklin, jr.; Mike McWhirter, jr.; Steven Ernst, jr.; Wheaton co-op: Liam McLaughlin (diver), jr.; Mark Ciesielski (diver), sr.; J.T. Simoneau, jr.
Outlook: Is it realistic for a Naperville swimming and diving team to be thinking about winning a state trophy? Naperville North, with a powerful senior class believes it can do just that, and history is on its side. Since 2005 a Naperville school has finished in the top three every year. That includes state titles for Neuqua Valley in 2008 and Naperville Central in 2010. “Watching those teams from Neuqua Valley and Naperville Central succeed showed us how great a feeling it can be to achieve a goal with your teammates,” said Butz, who finished fourth in the 500 free and sixth in the 200 free at state last year. One of the keys to the Huskies’ success will be Eiken, who missed all of last year with a shoulder injury. Naperville North finished ninth last year with Eiken on the shelf, and the Huskies, who also feature battle-tested seniors Bessler, Healy and Hubbard, believe this could be their year.
The Huskies will again be challenged in the DuPage Valley Conference by defending conference champ Naperville Central. The Redhawks followed their state championship season with a second-place finish in 2011. And even though they’ve lost a host of top swimmers, the Redhawks return two of the best in Illinois: Lehane, the reigning 100 backstroke champion; and Weeks, who was fifth in the 200 IM and sixth in the 100 butterfly. Naperville Central loses a lot of top swimmers to graduation every year, yet coach Mike Adams usually has the next group ready to succeed them and compete at state.
Wheaton co-op, which lost an exceptional senior class to graduation, is looking to a group of underclassmen to eventually challenge in the DVC.
Naperville’s other perennial top team, Neuqua Valley, which came in third, first, second and second in the four years before last year’s eighth-place finish, is in something of a rebuilding mode. “We don’t have any superstars,” coach Chad Allen said. “But we’ve got some well-rounded swimmers and some young talent. We’ll be competitive, but we don’t expect the kind of results we’ve had in recent years.” The Wildcats have their customary depth, which makes them a good bet for the Upstate Eight Conference crown, where they’ll be challenged by up-and-coming teams from Metea Valley and Waubonsie Valley. Stack, of Metea, who finished 12th in the 100 breaststroke, leads the Mustangs. Stacklin of Waubonsie qualified for state in both sprint freestyle races and he’s looking to score this year. Lake Park is another squad that lost an outstanding class.
Hinsdale Central, which finished 10th in the team standings at state last year, is again led by the great Thomson, who won the 200 freestyle and set a state record in winning the 500 free. “Danny is a phenomenal athlete,” said Hinsdale Central coach Corky King. “He’s up there with the best of all time in ability, work ethic and character.” Thomson will swim at Stanford next year.
Downers Grove South has one of the most promising divers in the state in Kujawa and Addison Trail/Willowbrook co-op returns a lot of talent from a team that finished in the top 20.
Key dates: Dec. 10 West Chicago Wildcat Relays; Dec. 17 Neuqua Valley Invite; Dec. 27 Naperville North College Events Meet; Dec. 28 Waubonsie Aqua-pentathlon; Jan. 14 Hinsdale Central Diving Invite; Jan. 21 Hinsdale Central Invitational; Jan. 21 Downers Grove North Invitational Jan. 28 Mustang Invite at Metea Valley; Feb. 3-4 Conference meets; Feb. 17-18 Sectionals; Feb. 24-25 State Swim Meet at Evanston.
— Neil Shalin