Three Tri-Cities teams set high goals for state

Like the water that fills a swimming pool, time becomes fluid for swimmers who are preparing for this weekend’s boys state swim meet in Evanston.

Every swimmer in the meet has put down an initial marker based on his time at last week’s sectional meet. But the real question is what will happen to those times in Friday’s prelims or — for the lucky 12 swimmers per event — in Saturday’s finals? Will those times slide coolly as if on ice toward new lows or will they slip higher, leading to elimination in the congested heat of the Wildkits’ pool deck?

Each of the three area teams — St. Charles North, St. Charles East and Marmion — have a strong contingent heading to the state meet, and each has potential for great achievements as the meet takes shape at the site where the atmosphere always seems just a little edgier than at New Trier, the other state meet host.

“I always have fun at the state meet,” St. Charles North coach Rob Rooney said. “I think it’s the greatest meet in the world. For me, there’s no meet like it and I want my boys to realize how special it is, to swim to their capability and then that we’ll have a great weekend. The atmosphere at Evanston is phenomenal.”

The three-sided seating at Evanston seems to put fans literally right on top of the pool. Prime deck space is always at a premium, even with a back area for the cool-down pool.

“The intensity ramps up during the week and then when you get to the meet, the place is packed to the gills,” St. Charles East coach Joe Cabel said. “That just sets the tone. There’s nothing that turns me on as a coach more than the big meet atmosphere. The sectionals were fun and the state meet will be more fun. Evanston has more of a seating bowl and they definitely shake the rafters at that place.”

The IHSA tightened the state cuts in every event this year. Despite that, the state it marginally faster this year, faster than ever and has shown that for all the talk about space age swimsuits a few years ago, swimmers are getting faster, no matter what fabric they wear when jumping into the water.

“People complain about the cuts every year,” Marmion coach Bill Schalz said. “You look at the events, and although every event but the 100 back is smaller, it’s only by three or four swimmers. It’s not like we only have 15 guys in an event and we’re not going to swim finals. The cuts are fast, b ut this is not going to be a small meet. We’re still not going to get in and out of there in under three hours.”

The fact remains that Illinois is a hotbed for swimming, something that has been the case for a number of years, and something that does not look likely to change any time soon.

“There are 17,000 age-group swimmers in Illinois,” Schalz said. “It is the largest age-group state in the country. When you take that into account, and the competitiveness that this creates, we are going to have a fast state meet. As long as we have one class — and I am in favor of that, the cuts are going to keep getting faster and faster.”

The favorite once again is New Trier, which seeks its 22nd team title. There are a number of contenders for trophies, and one of those teams is St. Charles North.

“We’ve got to go to the state meet ready to go,” Rooney said. “There are six or seven teams capable of scoring 100 points. Which ones actually do it will determine everything.”

Rooney rattled off teams such as Sandburg, Hinsdale Central, Mundelein, Warren and Naperville Central as one that will vie with the North Stars for one of the three trophies on offer this weekend.

“They’re all capable of having a great meet, and the meet will have some interesting twists to it,” Rooney said.

Rooney said he has confidence in his team’s capabilities. Historically, the North Stars have dropped time well when they rest for the state meet and then when they become even more aerodynamic when they remove hair from their arms, legs, chest as well as heads.

“They do drop time with the taper,” Rooney said. “That’s where we’re at. These guys weren’t shaved last week Now it’s time to shave down and let it all go.”

Seniors such as Chris Dieter and Joey Chokran are reasons the North Stars may do well this weekend. Both swim on relays while Dieter swims in the 200-yard freestyle and the 100 freestyle while Chokran swims in the 200 individual medley and the 100 breaststroke.

All three North Stars relays qualified for the state meet.

“The kids believe and (Chokran’s) one of the reasons behind that, as is (Dieter),” Rooney said. “There’s no doubt in my mind they’re going to do well, you have to expect that they’re going to do well. You’ve got to keep it calm and have your emotions in check, and that’s where (Dieter) comes in and (Chokran’s) back there telling them that they can kick tail.”

Of other swimmers, junior Spencer Gray returns in the 200 IM and the 500 freestyle. In that 500 free, both Gray and junior Kyle Gannon have the potential for success. Gannon also has scoring potential in the 200 freestyle.

At St. Charles East, the top individual threat is senior Shaun Seuschek, who is seeded seventh in the 200 IM and seventh in the 100 butterfly.

“He’s worked a lot harder than last year and he’s primed,” Cabel said. “He’s put in the time. He’s worked so hard to get there. He appears to be on a bit of a mission. There are times when you want to say ‘slow down,’ but he’s kind of set the tone.”

Seuschek did not taper for the sectional, and neither did the swimmers for the Saints two qualifying relays, the 200 medley relay and the 200 freestyle relay.

“We didn’t shave last weekend and that was a little risky,” Cabel said. “It proved good for our team but we lost a couple of guys that would have been here last year. Those guys who did not shave are on relays too and they can’t wait to shave down and be ready to go.”

Cabel said he hopes his team finishes in the Top 10.

“That’s our goal every season,” Cabel said. “There are a number of schools who are shooting for that as well, and they’re schools that have become year-round programs. They’ve figured out that it’s not a 14-week season, it’s a 42-week season. That’s something we pride ourselves on in St. Charles, that it’s an aquatic program.”

Marmion is also seeking a Top 10 finish, and the Cadets aiming at that target are a new bunch.

“We have no returning finalists,” Schalz said. “The interesting thing is that we were able to do it qualifying kids without tapering. We had to wear fast suits because they were that much on the bubble, but we didn’t rest them for the sectional.”

The Cadets have all three relays qualified and four individual swims — junior John Thielen swims in the 200 IM, junior Josh Kanute swims in the 100 butterfly while senior Shane Cano and sophomore Jack Fergus both swim in the 100 backstroke.

“It’s a good group of guys and it’s been a blast coaching them,” Schalz said. “We’ve done some unique things with training and technique that’s a little different from what other teams have been doing, and they’re responded really well. It’s been a great year working with these guys.”

Schalz said he feels his relays have the best chance to score.

“Our 400 free relay, even though it went its best time of the season at sectionals, I didn’t think we swam very well. I think we can do better,” Schalz said.

But even if the relays do have the best chance to score, Schalz said he’d like to see every one of his seven entries score points this weekend.

“I want them all to make finals,” Schalz said. “That’s the point of prelims, to make finals — and our goal is to make finals. We’re not there to win events or to get trophies. I think a Top 10 finish would be awesome, and that’s not a small thing, and you’ve got to do very well to get to 40 or more points, and even that might not be enough.”