Doran, Tigers look sharp
Senior Dan Doran is so impressed by his talented underclassmen teammates that he's a little sorry that he can't come back for another year to be part of what he believes will be an extraordinary season for the Wheaton co-op boys swimming team.
As it is, this year could turn out to be special as well, as Wheaton proved Thursday when it defeated host Benet 93-76 on the Redwings' senior night in Lisle.
"It was good to come in and win, but we didn't swim at our best," said Doran, a two-time state qualifier. "We've been getting our butts kicked in practice and we're all pretty broken down by now. We knew this group of younger guys would be good my senior year because we have so much depth and we're faster than ever before. But next year should be really something."
On Thursday Doran won the 100-yard backstroke, the race he hopes to swim and score in at state after finishing 13th and just out of the money last year. He was also a member of both winning relays, the 200 medley and 400 freestyle.
Carl Sveen won both the 200 IM and the 100 butterfly, freshman Dan Long finished first in the 500 freestyle and Brian Sivak was the victor in the 100 freestyle.
"We have some definite players this year," said Wheaton co-op coach Jacob Ayers. "And everybody but Dan is coming back. We have a few individuals with potential to score at state this year, including Doran, Sveen, Sivak and Brown. And our relays could do it as well."
According to Ayers, the medley relay team is taking shape, but he still has a few options on the freestyle relays for sectionals.
"We have a lot of versatility and the best depth we've ever had," Ayers said. "Those are nice problems to have."
The Benet senior night celebration was marred by the absence of co-captains Dave Vandendorpe and Mark Vandlik. Vandendorpe injured his ankle in a mishap in school Thursday, and Vandlik has missed the past few weeks due to illness.
Both were supposed to be on the 200 freestyle relay team, but their four teammates stepped up and won the race without them.
Kevin Klima, Chris O'Hara, Paul Pallardy and Connor Binnig swam the 200 in 1:36.38, topping Wheaton by almost two seconds.
"That was a great race," said Benet coach Mike Rigali "My MVP for the meet goes to those guys."
Klima, Kevin Dore and Pallardy also racked up individual victories for the Redwings.
Klima won the 100 breaststroke, Dore took the 200 freestyle, and Pallardy swam his career best in winning the 50 freestyle in 23.65.
"That was really a clutch performance by Pallardy," Rigali said. "He's usually around 25 in the 50 and he comes out of nowhere to bust out and do a 23.65. Everyone was cheering for him after the race."