Scouting DuPage County boys water polo teams
Naperville Central and Neuqua Valley headline the list of the area's top boys water polo teams this year, one season after the teams played a whale of a sectional final.
The Redhawks won 9-8 over Neuqua to advance downstate, where coach Bill Salentine's squad reached the state title game before losing to five-time defending state champion Fenwick.
With a No. 2 ranking by Illpolo.com, Naperville Central has a team this year that is fixing to make another deep postseason run.
"I think we're a very good team. We're just trying to figure out our best player combinations," Salentine said. "We're deep and we've got a fast team."
The foundation of the Redhawks' defense is returning all-state senior goalkeeper Tyler Kelley, now in his third season in net. "It all starts with him. He's the anchor of our defense and he starts our counterattack," Salentine said. "He doesn't get rattled, he's vocal and he's a student of the game."
Kelley has a pair of top-shelf defenders in front of him in juniors Mark Menis and Ryan Stanley. "They're both very talented," Salentine said. "We'll look to them to help shut down the other team's two-meter player."
The Redhawks' offense features senior Max Saltzman, a hole set with size, strength and scoring ability, and Ben Reasons, a fast-swimming senior with a quick shot on the perimeter.
No. 3 Neuqua Valley features a three-time all-state offensive player in senior John Mikuzis, who led or tied for the team lead in every offensive and defensive category. Mikuzis will play for the University of California at Santa Barbara next year.
"We're lucky to have a player like John Mikuzis," said Neuqua coach Martin Bell.
The Wildcats lost a lot of senior leadership to graduation, but Bell sees promise in players ready to step forward to provide it.
"We have five players that have started games for us in the past," Bell said. "Senior captains Ryan Jadwin, Mike Lehman and Mikuzis should lead this team."
Junior Mike Rooney and sophomore A.J. Quebmann are returning starters, and the Wildcats will look for solid, steady play from Brandon Wylie, Bob Haines, Matt Bishop, Kevin Cordes and Tanay Ganga.
Bell is relying on team speed and physical defensive play to get his squad into the postseason. "We have high hopes after last season," he said. "We know that our sectional is going to be very difficult to win, but it also prepares you for the competition that you'll see at state."
With senior Jim Zuponeck's imminent return from training for the junior national swim team, No. 9 Waubonsie Valley coach Chad Ganden is about to get last year's leading scorer back.
"He's a very good driver and he started to learn to play the hole last year," Ganden said. "He's a very good utility player."
Ganden sees a good, physical squad at Waubonsie this year.
"We'll be one of the more physical teams in the area," Ganden said. "We won't be as fast as a team like Neuqua Valley, but we've got a lot of smart players with good polo awareness."
Warriors field players include juniors Edi Boldor - who came to Waubonsie from Romania in the fall - and Tyler Briesath. Sophomores Tyler Hunt and Kyle Apple, and freshmen Cameron Webber and Joey Poletto will also figure prominently in the attack.
Goalkeeping duties will fall on Alac McWhirter, son of Naperville North girls coach Andy McWhirter. The sophomore will get help from hole defender Adam Kozak, a senior and a veteran of the sport.
"Once Adam and Alac develop some chemistry, that will only help," Ganden said. "Adam is a team leader and an excellent defender."
No. 19 York features an all-state goalkeeper in senior John Onstwedder, and a hole set in junior Marc Krolikiewicz that Dukes coach Mark Forde believes has the potential to be "one of the best in the state."
The defensive-minded Dukes will look to improve offensively as the year progresses. Senior Colin Abue will defend the hole and be a field player, and junior field player Dan Groch will also be expected to provide consistent play.
Naperville North sneaks into Illpolo's top 25 at No. 23, and coach George Horn thinks his Huskies could be a sleeper this year.
"I think we're a much more talented group than people think," he said. "But being in one of the most competitive sectionals in the state, the end of the season will always be challenging."
Top players for Naperville North include senior keeper Lucas Sasveld, and a trio of senior field players in Matt Johnson, Cole Fijolek and David Lichter. All four are captains, and another pair of field players in senior John Dubruin and junior Austin Katz round out Horn's best.
- Gary Larsen