Marmion heads several strong teams at SCE sectional

After swimming massive yards for incredible hours all winter, boys swimmers all over the state have finally taken a rest.

And then that happens - a process swimmers call tapering - strange things start to happen on deck.

"A lot of goofing around takes place," St. Charles East coach Joe Cabel said. "You want them to have some fun. But you also want to have reason, and that's what our seniors have given us. The girls get loud but the boys get squirrely."

But as Cable added, "That's a good sign."

All that renewed vigor hits the water at St. Charles East's Norris Center pool on Saturday for this year's sectional. The meet is the only time a swimmer can qualify for the state meet, which takes place Feb. 27-28 at New Trier. So the race is on, literally, to swim faster than the state cuts, which are standardized qualifying standards for every event. Race winners and all who better the cut time in their race get to go to the state meet.

"You get one shot, and it's that atmosphere that makes the meet fast," St. Charles North coach Rob Rooney said.

The Norris Center pool is set up for fast swimming, and that will help swimmers in their state meet quests.

"We were there last week for a club meet, and swam well there," Marmion coach Bill Schalz said. Schalz coaches the Academy Bullets, who attended a meet hosted by the St. Charles Swim Club.

"We saw a lot of swimmers from a lot of different clubs swim fast. It's an older facility, but you're swimming in 12 feet of water. It's got good gutters and good lane ropes and there's a bulkhead for water to pass through - a lot of things that are going to help you have fast swimming. And there's a warm-down pool, which is a huge advantage."

The meet features an abundance of talent. Leading the way is Marmion, which has all three relays more than 2 seconds under the state cut and an additional 7 individuals who have been faster than the state qualifying standards in their races this season.

But that doesn't mean the Cadets are looking past Saturday's meet in any way. The goal is to try to qualify all entries, though it's going to take some big time drops in some events for that to happen.

"We are focusing only on sectionals right now," Schalz said. "We have a handful of guys who are out there under the cuts. Our relays are well under the cut. But we have swimmers who are under in one event but not in another and some relay guys who are close in their individual races. You can talk all you want about possible state trophies. But if you screw up your sectional, it doesn't matter."

The sectional brings together a wide variety of teams and almost all have someone who will be in contention for a state berth.

The host school has senior Ken Tiltges contending in the 50-yard freestyle and the 100 backstroke with senior Adam Carnell currently under the cut in the 100 freestyle.

"I think it starts with everyone having a best time and then getting the relays there and then having your individuals get there," Cable said. "Our game plan looks good right now. They look good in the water."

Crosstown rival St. Charles North features, among others, senior Nick Smith in the 50 freestyle and Dan Stanek in the 100 breaststroke.

"We're out to swim as fast as we can," Rooney said. "I want 100 percent time drops and the boys want 100 percent drops. The goal is to swim fast. What will that get us? We'll find out Saturday."

St. Charles North's 200 medley relay is just .03 from the state standard, and Rooney said getting that quartet downstate is of great importance. The medley relay opens the swimming portion of the state meet. St. Charles North won that race a year ago and has been solid all season this year.

"We've been focusing on the medley for a long time," Rooney said. "It's out strong suit. It's nice to have a strong suit. We actually have the potential to have good free relays too. This year, our 200 free relay has more confidence and our 400 free relay has the chance to have a great little swim itself."

Lake Park arrives with senior standout Bryant Honsa as the fastest, on paper, in the 200 freestyle and 500 freestyle along with junior Aaron Casper in contention in what should be a very fast 50 freestyle. Fellow Upstate Eight Conference foe Bartlett has strong swimmers in seniors Mike Brady and Josh Hasenberg in the 100 freestyle.

"I think when you look at the Upstate Eight Conference and the talent in both boys and girls and the mix of schools, there is a very solid group swimming out here," Rooney said. "Between the swimming here in St. Charles and also DeKalb and Aurora and the Elgin area, our sectional produces some fast kids. There's a lot of good, consistent swimming out there."

The other teams heading to the sectional bring strong swimmers as well.

Wheaton Warrenville South heads west with solid swimmers such as senior Sean Brown in the 200 freestyle and the 500 freestyle. DeKalb travels east with the Gordon brothers. Senior David Gordon is expected to compete well in the 200 freestyle and the 500 freestyle while sophomore Michael Gordon is a potential qualifier in the 200 individual medley and the 100 butterfly.

Then there are those schools that don't have teams but enter swimmers for this meet - and the state meet should they qualify. This allows Kaneland sophomore Grant Alef to attempt to qualify in the 500 freestyle and the 100 backstroke. Alef is under the state cut in both events. The same is true of Batavia senior Albert Roth, who comes to the sectional with the fastest times in the 200 individual medley and the 100 butterfly.

The team race, however, appears to point to a Marmion victory. Sectional titles in swimming don't affect a team's qualifiers, but everyone usually acknowledges it's a nice plaque to take back to their school.

"We have a good mix with our seniors, who have provided a great base," Schalz said. "They have been providing great leadership. Then you've got the freshmen and sophomores, who give us something to build from the next couple of years."

Marmion swimmers already under the state cut include senior Austin Cox in the 200 freestyle, senior Tyler Capen in the 200 individual medley and the 100 backstroke, junior Matt Pircon in the 50 freestyle, senior Thomas Delves in the 100 freestyle, senior Austin Cox in the 100 backstroke and senior Matt Lifka in the 100 breaststroke.