Boys water polo: Cook County all-area team

Glen Bernard Buffalo Grove

This senior seemed to embody was Buffalo Grove was all about - a commitment to defense and toughness, and a willingness to share the ball on offense. A steady scorer, Bernard also was able to recognize when defenses were keying on him, and was only too happy to involve his teammates. He finished with a team-best 108 steals along with 58 goals, 36 assists and 32 blocks. An all-MSL choice. "He has great 1-on-1 skills and I routinely used him to shut down the opponent's top player," said coach Scott Kopecky.

Randy Carr Schaumburg

Just a sophomore, he played beyond his years and helped the Saxons answer a whole handful of preseason question marks with top-notch all-around play. "He's got all the tools, and he knows how to use them," said Schaumburg coach Tom Gallagher. "He was an important part of everything we achieved, and of course he'll only get better. We're looking forward to that." Carr contributed 89 goals, 45 steals and 37 assists for a Schaumburg team that won at least 20 times for the third straight year.

Ryan Chiero Conant

In a transition year for Conant's program, Chiero provided senior know-how in helping the Cougars maintain a competitive team. His swimming skill often made him a one-man fastbreak and gave the Cougars a reliable source of offense. An all-Mid-Suburban League pick.

Peter Cleary St. Viator

A key on both sides of the ball in coach Everardo Leon's attack, Cleary distinguished himself with a season's worth of distinguished development. An honorable mention all-sectional choice at Glenbrook South, Cleary was just a junior and figures to play an even more prominent role next spring.

Brad Ferris Palatine

Ferris was everything you'd need to lead his team to a Mid-Suburban League championship: A four-year player with smarts, skill and a hunger for winning. Equally effective on the perimeter or in front of the goal, Ferris led the league champs in scoring and provided a deadly shot in man-up situations. "He became a great leader for us," said coach Joe Grzybek.

Damian Fitzsimons Rolling Meadows

It turned out to be a difficult season for the Mustangs, but Fitzsimons, a senior, gave a very young team something to look forward to in every game. With a strong all-around game, he proved especially deadly from the perimeter. An all-Mid-Suburban League selection.

Brandon Kase Schaumburg

While he was an important part of the previous season's senior-dominated MSL championship team, this was Kase's season to sparkle - and that he did. The Saxons senior developed what coach Tom Gallagher called "the best shot we've ever had in our program," and became the focal point in Schaumburg's attack as well as a top-notch defender. Kase had a single-season record 191 goals with 82 assists, 44 steals and 44 ejections drawn.

Tim McDaniel Wheeling

McDaniel's swimming skills translated very well to polo this spring, as Wheeling produced a drastic improvement on its way to a third-place finish in the Mid-Suburban East and a 13-8 overall record under coach Jessica Temple. McDaniel had 5 goals in fourth-seeded Wheeling's 10-9 victory over fifth-seeded Highland Park/Deerfield during Vernon Hills sectional play.

Mike McPartlin Prospect

An all-Mid-Suburban League choice and the Knights' scoring leader, McPartlin helped power an impressive run to second place in the Mid-Suburban East. The Knights' hole set was a consistent producer and frequently scored in bunches.

Eric Primdahl St. Viator

This Lions senior proved to be especially effective down the stretch run of the season as St. Viator showed competitiveness across the board in the always rugged Metro Catholic Conference. He delivered 8 goals in an 18-16 loss to Loyola, had 7 in a 20-13 victory over Fremd ... and those weren't unusual, but rather typical, performances.

Ian Rodriguez Buffalo Grove

On the heels of an impressive swimming season, Rodriguez transferred his competitive drive to water polo and got similarly stellar results. The sophomore ended up leading coach Scott Kopecky's team with 114 goals along with 73 steals, 41 blocks and 34 assists, helping the Bison to a Mid-Suburban League crown and a sectional semifinal appearance. "Ian has great swimming speed and hand-eye coordination," Kopecky said. "He worked hard in the off-season and made huge improvements to his game in the transition from his freshman to sophomore years."

Dan Serna Schaumburg

He drew the unglamorous assignment of defending the hole position, and did it with grace and efficiency. "He's a super tough kid, and he really had the right temperament for the job," said coach Tom Gallagher. "You'd never see him get flustered or upset; he always had a smile on his face." A standout student who will attend Carnegie-Mellon next fall, Serna produced a school-record 103 steals this season and had 37 assists.

Dan Sommerfeld Palatine

Pirates coach Joe Grzybek says he's had opposing coaches approach him for several years now, asking when his goalie is going to graduate. The answer: Not yet. Palatine's superlative goalkeeper was still just a junior this season. He seems to have an extra height level when defending yet was able to backpeddle and defend the lob on cue. "Great goaltending is something you tend to notice when you don't have it," Grzybek said. "I've grown used to what Dan's been able to do back there, but I can appreciate the big difference he makes for us." Sommerfeld was a choice on the regional Olympic Development Program and hopes to play the sport beyond high school.

Jeremy Stanton Palatine

The Pirates' senior proved to be up to the task of manning the hole. Strength and size were the keys, as Stanton was able to impose his will in front of the goal. "He's got strength and skill you wouldn't necessarily see at first glance," said coach Joe Grzybek. "He was serious about the sport and allowed us to play a certain way because of his ability and willingness to play physically."

Dan Striev Buffalo Grove

Here's one of the reasons it was hard for foes to game-plan too much against BG. Striev led the team with 39 assists but also was a reliable scorer (83 goals) and produced 37 steals and 28 blocks. "He may not always score with a power shot," said coach Scott Kopecky, "but he consistently scores. We won several games with clutch goals from Dan."

Chris Workman Hersey

Coach Jeff Baker's team produced a dramatic turnaround, and Workman was a big reason behind it. An honorable mention to the Vernon Hills all-sectional team, and an all-MSL pick, the Huskies' senior leader helped Hersey to a fourth-place finish in the MSL East at 4-6 and 12-13 overall.

All-conference selections

Mid-Suburban League

Barrington - Chris Hoover

Buffalo Grove - Glen Bernard, Ian Rodriguez, Victory Sanyn, Daniel Striev

Conant - Ryan Chiero

Elk Grove - Keith Fernandez

Fremd - Zach Zambelli

Hersey - Chris Workman

Hoffman Estates - Mike Christen

Palatine - Brad Ferris, Dan Sommerfeld, Jeremy Stanton

Prospect - Brian Johnston, Mike McPartlin

Rolling Meadows - Damian Fitzsimons

Schaumburg - Brandon Kase, Dan Serna, Randy Carr

Wheeling - Tim McDaniel

Central Suburban

Maine West - Stephen Woodford