St. Charles North seeks 1st state trophy

When it opened in 2000, St. Charles North's pool was still unfinished. Since then, the North Stars have blazed a blue, silver and black streak across the state.

As the 2018-19 boys season begins, the team is once again one of the best in the state.

The only thing missing is a state trophy, though the annual parade of North Stars to state meet sites who return with medals is lengthy. This year's season concludes at New Trier the weekend of Feb. 22-23. Expect St. Charles North to be there, for them to be competitive and a trophy run is a definite possibility.

"We've been there and knocking on the door and on the cusp of a trophy for a long time," St. Charles North coach Rob Rooney said. "One thing that was told to me a long time ago, when I was hired by (then athletic director) Tom Schweer: 'Stay in the top 10. Keep your nose to the grindstone and stay in the top 10 and build it for longevity.' That's what I've wanted to do. I haven't wanted to build the program for a one-hit wonder and we've got some good things coming."

St. Charles North first broke into the Top 10 in 2006, when it finished seventh. The North Stars were fifth the following year and fourth in 2008. After a two-year hiatus, the team was fifth in 2011, eighth in 2013 and has finished in the Top 10 the last four years in a row, including a tie for sixth in the state finals in February in Evanston.

It takes talented swimmers in order to create successful teams, and athletes such as Doug Brooks, Jimmy Brooks and John Higgins propelled those early teams, and then Chris Peterson had a two-year run as one of the best swimmers in the state. Peterson won the 500 freestyle in 2006 and repeated the feat in 2007, when he also won the 200 freestyle.

Those athletes, and the other core swimmers did more than just win things. They established traditions and attitudes that are carried even today by North Stars boys swimmers.

"Those guys had work ethic, drive and a trustworthiness to each other and to the coaches," Rooney said. "We still communicate today and they're all awesome individuals, both to each other and generally as people. I called those guys a band of brothers and warriors and a decade later, it's the same."

The more recent teams have added their own traditions and found their own pathways to success. Among recent stars are Chris Dieter, Kyle Gannon and Joe Myhre, who became the school's second individual event champion when he won the 100 freestyle as a senior in 2016.

"Those guys were full of trying to have fun and also be successful," Rooney said. "That was a bit of an adjustment for me. Those boys worked very hard, both at swimming and in the classroom. They cared deeply about the program, but the way we worked with them changed in that time frame. It's still changing. Every year, it changes in how we interact with athletes, both with the technology in training and as athletes."

The current star on the team is senior William Myhre, who has finished in the Top 6 in both of his individual races all three years at St. Charles North, including second-place finishes in both the 100 breaststroke and the 200 IM in 2018.

"Every team, every year, is faced with a series of challenges," Rooney said. "I say now that it's not challenges, it's opportunities. We have an opportunity this year and we'll be making decisions for these kids, their families and the program and what I want to do is to make sure I do what's best for the kids."

Myhre is surrounded by a number of state qualifiers as the season gets underway. Brad Whitehurst is a senior who has scored the past two years and Nate Baxter, Srboljub Filipovic and Ricky Williams were sophomore qualifiers last year. Baxter and Filipovic scored in relays in February while Williams finished 12th in the 500 freestyle.

In some ways, those early North Stars teams could walk on-deck this winter and immediately feel at-home. In other ways, the interaction between coaches and athletes has evolved and so has the nature of the team's training.

"Those guys from earlier, I could treat them all the same and they were OK," Rooney said. "Now you have to work with each individual and how they function. I'm trying to learn and incorporate as much as I can from things I have learned, including things I see how colleges do things. It's constantly evolving."

The only constants at St. Charles North are that now-finished pool and the fact that Rooney has coached the boys - and the school's girls team - since the school opened.

"Starting a program at St. Charles North is the biggest honor I can have as a person and as a coach and also as a teacher. Everyone thought it would be easy because of the tradition at St. Charles (East) when there was one school in the city. We had to build our own identity as St. Charles North," Rooney said.

The North Stars continue their quest for a trophy. What's clear, however, is that they are one of the top programs in the state.

"Both boys and girls swimming in Illinois is very competitive and our boys are right there," Rooney said. "Neuqua Valley boys coach Chad Allen put together a report recently that showed the last 15-20 years and who had been in the Top 10 the most. It was us, Naperville North, Naperville Central, New Trier, Lyons and Neuqua Valley. Each of those teams have won trophies and we have not, but to be in the company of those coaches and teams is pretty awesome."

Fox Valley area boys swimming at a glance

Top swimmers: Bartlett: Kyle Grossman, Jr., Ryan Hogan, Sr., Patrick Hultquist, So., Truman Jacobson, Jr. District 155 co-op: Kolin Fadden. Sr., Cameron Castro, Sr., Peyton Richardson, Jr., Noah Siegmeier, Jr., Hunter Jackson, So. Huntley: Eric Boysen, Sr., Mark Vandy, Jr., Maxwell Hagberg, Jr., Evan Tocmo, Jr. District 300 co-op: Vince Chiappetta, So., Harold Ogaban, Sr., Alec Orndahl, Jr., Caden Waddell, Jr., Eric Boysen, Sr. Marmion: Nolan Fergus, Sr., Henry Bliss, Sr., Ty Spillane, So. South Elgin: Alexander Schlueter, Jr. St. Charles East: Austin Cabel, Sr., Matt Nagler, Jr., Garrett Prybell, Sr., Joey Scimeca, Jr., Sean Yetter, Jr., Calvin Windle, So. St. Charles North: Will Myhre, Sr., SIBA Filipovic, Jr., Nate Baxter, Jr., Ricky Williams, Jr., Ben Watanapongse, Jr., Andrew O'Hara, Jr., Brad Whitehurst, Sr. West Aurora: Cael McLaren, Jr., Owen Zant, Sr.

Top meets involving area schools: Dec. 1 Stevenson Invitational; Dec. 8 West Chicago Relays; Dec. 13 Marmion at St. Charles East; Dec. 14-15 Neuqua Valley Invitational; Dec. 15 Marmion Cadet Relays; Dec. 22 Naperville North College Events Meet; Dec. 29 Waubonsie Valley Pentathlon; Jan. 4 St. Charles North at St. Charles East; Jan. 5 Evanston Invitational; Jan. 8 Cary-Grove at Jacobs; Jan. 12 New Trier Invitational; Jan. 19 St. Charles North Invitational; Jan. 25-26 Metea Valley Invitational; Feb. 2 DuKane, Metro Catholic and Upstate Eight Conference meets; Feb. 9 Fox Valley Conference Meet; Feb. 16: IHSA Sectionals; Feb. 22-23: IHSA State Meet at New Trier.