Scouting state swimming / Northwest and Fox Valley
Scouting state swimming / Northwest and Fox Valley
Where: Evanston Township High School
When: Diving prelims 9 a.m. today; swimming prelims 3:30 p.m. today. Swimming and diving finals 1 p.m. Saturday.
Big picture
New Trier has to be the favorite to repeat. The Trevians have won four of the last six state meets and were dominant last season with 217 points, far ahead of runner-up Naperville Central. But Naperville North has a strong, senior-led team with plenty of individual scoring opportunities to go with top-notch relays. Loyola, Warren, Mundelein and St. Charles North round out the teams that could figure in the trophy picture.
Local focus
Mid-Suburban League champ Conant had a great qualifying session at Glenbrook North. All three relays advanced, and the 200 medley and 400 free relays both have excellent chances to score points. Jonathon Burke is among the state’s elite 500 freestylers and also could score in the 200 free. Top-line sprinter Alex Shozda has a great chance individually in the 100 free and puts plenty of oomph into the relays. Martin Pozniak (100 back) and Alan Wojciechowski (100 fly) are well positioned, and Brandon Grzegorek could move up in the breaststroke. Coach Brian Drenth is expecting further time drops from all his swimmers as this Conant team has been focused on state meet performance all season. “The guys that qualified are looking good,” Drenth said. “They’re focused and ready to compete this weekend. The state meet exposes the best of the best, and we’re hoping to be among those that shine and swim on Saturday.”
Barrington also has much to look forward to. By reserving full tapers for several key swimmers, the Broncos aim to end a state meet scoring drought that’s reached three years. The 200 medley and 200 free relays will need to move up from their seeded positions, but there’s every reason to think they can. Juniors Kyle Ujiye (fly) and Jack Strauss (50, 100 free) can dent the scoreboard with solid time drops, and sophomore Connor Kobida could score in the 100 breaststroke with another time drop.
Buffalo Grove is still riding the high from last weekend, as seniors Jon Mass and Ian Rodriguez qualified in two events apiece plus the 200 medley and 200 free relays. The Bison medley has a great scoring opportunity; the free relay will be tougher but coach Jamie Klotz reserved some taper for most of his swimmers, and all of it for Rodriguez, which will help. Rodriguez has great opportunities in the 100 breaststroke and 200 IM. Mass’ qualifying times put him in position to score as well. Junior Matt Schulstad will join Mass and Rodriguez on both relays, and he’ll also compete in the 200 IM; senior Julian Vasquez made it through for the first time in diving.
Hoffman Estates coach Josh Schumacher has a pair of juniors ready for action in Nick Jessee and Sang Han. Jessee is a repeat state qualifier in the 100 and 200 frees; Han became the first Hoffman Estates swimmer to break one minute in the 100 breaststroke at last weekend’s sectional. Senior Nick Cannella will also represent the Hawks in diving.
Fremd also has a pair of juniors — Andrew King and Dennis Kostidis — in action. Both will be looking to see if they can improve upon their qualifying efforts.
Hersey senior Alex Roznai (100 butterfly) and Rolling Meadows junior Artie Checchin (50 free) will race at state for the first time, while Maine West’s Brian Wasicak tests the waters in the 100 breaststroke for a second straight year and Prospect senior Andre Burck competes in diving.
South Elgin junior Nick Hasemann qualified with the top time in the 200 freestyle and also has the eighth-best seed in the 100 backstroke. After scoring points in the consolation heat of the 200 last year, he’s in a great spot to reach the finals. Storm soph Alex Duffy will be in action in the 200 IM and 100 fly.
Cary-Grove junior Michael Hamann qualified second in the 200 IM, but it will be tough for him to dislodge Warren senior Danny Conway in that race. Hamann is seeded sixth in the 100 back and has another great scoring opportunity there. The Trojans also have 200 medley and 400 free relays with chances to score.
Jacobs senior Alex Elston impressed at the sectional meet and will compete in the 100 fly and 50 free; his outstanding qualifying effort in the fly (50.38) has him seeded third. The Eagles will have plenty more action, as Ryne Quinlan, Josh DeDina and Alex Reinbrecht earned the opportunity to race as individuals and on Jacobs’ 200 medley and 200 free relays. The medley in particular has a great chance to score.
Pool patter
Olympic Trials qualifiers Danny Conway (Warren) and Danny Thomson (Hinsdale Central) figure to have a great race in the 500 free, where it wouldn’t be surprising to see the entire final heat go under 4:30. Thomson set the state record last year in a jaw-dropping 4:21.04. Both Conway and Thomson are seniors.
All the individual winners from last year’s state meet are back, with the exception of graduated IM and breaststroke champ Matt Elliott of Peoria Richwoods. The defending champs are Loyola’s Andrew Jovanovic (50 free, 100 fly), Naperville Central’s Sean Lehane (100 back), New Trier’s Max Grodecki (100 free) and Thomson (200 free, 500 free).
— Aaron Gabriel