Neuqua thinking repeat

After bringing home its first state championship, the Neuqua Valley boys swimming team is being honored at school this week with special presentations, photo sessions and an appearance on the student news show, "Wildcat Weekly."

The champions still have an awards banquet, the all-state banquet and an appearance before the Naperville City Council ahead of them.

So while the Wildcats are celebrating, let's take a look at their prospects for a repeat in 2009.

From this year's team Neuqua's graduations losses include: the great Brian Alden, who completed his career, one of the most successful ever in Illinois, with his third straight wins in the 50 and the 100 freestyle races; divers Chris Murray, who finished second and Gus Appenbrink; as well as Brad Kay and Ryan Farmer, who contributed to the important 200 medley relay team's top-six finish.

But that still leaves the cupboard with plenty of provisions.

Kevin Overholt, who blossomed into a superstar this year, finishing second in the 200 freestyle in the fifth fastest time ever, and fourth in the 100 freestyle, will take over Alden's leadership role in his senior season.

"Kevin has learned a lot from Brian," said Neuqua Valley coach Chad Allen. "He's gotten the confidence he needs to go on to even greater things next year."

Also returning will be Hans Peters, who finished 11th in the 200 freestyle and was a member of the record-setting 200 freestyle relay team with Alden and Overholt.

Mike Lehman, the fourth member of that relay team, also returns, as do John Mikuzis of the medley relay, and veterans Brien Gerber, Ryan Jadwin and Kevin Cordes.

"I'm very happy for the guys," Allen said. "They took the pressure on themselves by making the state title the goal from Day One. And then they went out and did the hard work needed to achieve their goal."

Allen said New Trier, which finished second and returns most of its state roster, will be the team to beat next year, but he thinks the Wildcats will be right there competing for a trophy.

Planning ahead:ŒNaperville Central coach Mike Adams believes that what happens between now and the start of next winter's swimming season will be a major factor in the dark-horse Redhawks' chances to match or improve on this year's sixth-place finish at state.

"If those guys get in the water this summer and fall and do the work they know they have to do," Adams said, "we can build upon what we did last weekend."

There will be an impressive group of tested returnees in the Redhawks' pool next year, including scorers Ben Reasons, Chris Depew, Chris Canene and Matt O'Brien, and qualifiers Danny Tucker, Jeff Depew and diver Mike Greco.

"We were a pretty young team this year," Adams said, "and they went through the state experience and did a good job. That gives them confidence to come back and do it again next year. There will be less pressure and that will make it easier for them to perform."

The 500:ŒEveryone expects next year's battle for supremacy in the 500 freestyle to be exciting.

Bryant Honsa of Lake Park and Burke Sims of Downers Grove North, two of the most talented and most determined swimmers in Illinois, are expected to lock horns again after finishing 1-2 in this year's distance race.

In addition the next three finishers in the 500 are expected to return.

Honsa was motivated this year by how lightly he was regarded by the preseason "experts" after not scoring at last year's state meet due to a bout of walking pneumonia.

"I had a copy of a list of the top prospects in DuPage County in my wallet all year," Honsa said. "My name wasn't on it. That was my motivation."

"I kept reminding Bryant that his name wasn't on the list," said Lake Park coach Dan Witteveen, "and, he just said, 'It will be.' "

Honsa is looking forward to another challenge by his friend Sims, who finished in third place, just ahead of him in the 200 freestyle.

Now he's really retired:ŒNaperville North senior Jackson Hill made Huskies history twice at the state meet preliminaries last Friday night.

In finishing the 50 freestyle in 21.01 and the 100 freestyle in 45.06, Hill set school records in both events.

His records eclipse the times set by Naperville North state champion Chad Ganden in the mid-1990s. They were the last two Ganden records to fall.

"I guess I'm officially retired as a swimmer," said Ganden, who was present at the meet as coach of Waubonsie Valley. "It's long overdue. Those records should have been broken long ago. Jackson is a good kid and a great athlete and I'm glad I was here to see him break the records."