Boys swimming and diving: Sectional scouting, Northwest
Boys swimming and diving / Sectional scouting
When: Diving at 9 a.m. Saturday; swimming at 1 p.m. Saturday.
At stake: Swimmers advance to the following weekend's high school state meet at New Trier by either winning or satisfying the qualifying time standard. In diving, the 16 sectional champions automatically qualify, and divers with the 32 next-best scores move on as well with at-large berths. There is no team qualification component, but with the vast majority of swimmers tapered in search of peak performance, competition will be fierce throughout.
Those swimming qualifying times are:
200 medley relay: 1:37.33 200 free: 1:44.48
200 IM: 1:57.99 50 free: 21.86
100 fly: 52.44 100 free: 47.72
500 free: 4:45.38 200 free relay: 1:27.79
100 back: 53.47 100 breast: 1:00.00
400 free relay: 3:13.35
at BarringtonTop teams: Fremd, Barrington, Cary-Grove
Outlook: Fremd and Barrington already have had two great matchups this season, and this one promises to follow suit. The Vikings won both the dual meet and last weekend's conference meet and now have their sights set on qualifying the largest possible group to state. All three relays have excellent chances to get through. Individually, the top contenders are Nick Seroni, Nick Nevins, Alex Schillinger, Danny Konishi, Paul Ponte and Arnas Maciunas, along with diver Zach Mega. Barrington, too, has plenty of proven talent - Colin O'Leary, Mitch Gavars, John Lagoni and Max Gersten have eached qualified for state at least once before as individuals, and Jack Hoppe is among the Broncos' leading contenders to earn a first state meet experience. Cary-Grove, which won the Fox Valley Invitational last week, has senior Ethan Hare (IM, fly) leading the effort. The Trojans have enough depth for three strong relays and boast an impressive array of developing talent in the frosh and soph classes. Conant's top individual state candidate in swimming is Justin Lim; he was second in the 50 free in the MSL meet and fourth in the 100 fly and could advance in both. And in diving, Cougars two-time MSL champ Cole Aykroid is poised for a third straight trip to state. Palatine senior Alex Bartosik is after a fourth straight trip to state in his top event, the 200 IM, and Pirates junior Sean O'Brien is getting closer to the state cut each time out in the 100 back. Hoffman Estates senior Andy Hobar will try for state in the 200 IM and 100 breast, and Mark Heitkotter has chances in the 50 free and 100 free. Buffalo Grove senior diver Jack Delattre was runner-up in the MSL meet and figures to earn another trip to the state meet, while Schaumburg has athletes such as Matt Soltau, Tyler Reynolds and Matt Kelland hoping for season-best efforts.
at Glenbrook North
Top teams: Deerfield, Glenbrook South, Rolling Meadows, Glenbrook North
Outlook: Deerfield has great lineup balance and a returning state competitor in Judd Fishman, but expect top-tier individuals from the field to make every race interesting. Glenbrook South senior Sam Iida is a force in the IM and 500 free (and just any other race, if he so chooses); he was state runner-up in both those races last year and his presence puts the Titans at No. 6 in the team state rankings. Glenbrook South's medley relay (1:35.89) is especially strong. For Rolling Meadows, which finished third in last weekend's conference meet, a main concern is trying to get the 200 and 400 freestyle relays to state. Both have a chance to get there either by time standard or by finishing first. Individually, the Mustangs have state-qualifying shots in junior Josh Dellorto (50 free, 100 free), senior Filip Pancerz (200 free, 100 fly) and junior Jake Pors (50 free, 100 free). Junior Nate Pardini, who took big time drops at the MSL meet, rounds out the freestyle relays. St. Viator junior standout Michael Balcerak is among the state's elite in the 100 and 200 free, and the Lions also have a budding standout in Michael Ruben. Hersey junior Michael Petro has been comfortably under the state cut in the 100 fly and 200 IM all season, so his emphasis will be to safely qualify in both - with an eye on peak performance the following weekend. Prospect's top relay is the medley, but the Knights could advance one or both of the free relays too with a big drop, and junior Jacob Kosinski bettered the state cut in the 100 breast at the MSL meet and already has a state meet under his belt. Senior sprinter Matt Inserra is within reach in the 50 and 100 freestyles, and Knights senior diver Anthony Liva will be after his third straight trip to state competition. Wheeling's top entrants are Ricky Reeve, Jacob Gorenyuk and Nick Konstantos; Elk Grove will look for further time drops from improving soph Adrian Wlodarz.
- Aaron Gabriel